Overlord: After The War
by Xwoklod
Summary: A somewhat all over the place one-shot compilation where i just wanted to finish and end some thoughts and dreams Maruyama has left us with behind. They may be at times a bit confusing because i really really jump a lot between years and decades. Sry ;) They revolve around and build up the Mc of this story. A growing boy who has lost his father in the massacre of Katze Plains.
1. Overlord: After The War Prologue

Well, I am not very confident about this but duck it. I had a fan fiction on my mind and somehow started writing about a child after the massacre of Katze Plains. If you have the courage to read the prologue, which is nothing more than a summary of the "battle" which occurred in the 9th novel from a soldiers perspective then I am open for feedback and improvement tips. Maybe you even want to stay and see what I intended to do.

Onward then brothers and sisters.

* * *

 **Prologue: Stephen Ambro**

Even after being called to arms for the 7th time a hardworking carpenter isn't someone who is high enough regarded to complain, let alone to straight out refuse the call. He despised it, but it was better than to explain his actions before the tribunal and convince them not to execute that poor carpenter.

It has almost become a ritual to take up the sword and march with his fellow citizens to the plains accompanied by their hopes of return. Knowing, not all of them would return from a pointless battle. He remembers how he got that cold, heavy metal in his hands for the first time. The sensation of heaviness hasn't been caused by its actual weigh, but rather by its meaning. A tool with the sole purpose to kill. What makes a sword dangerous? It's edge? No.

The reason Swords are dangerous is that they are deadly in everyone hands. Even in the hands of the commoner Stephen.

"Protect the Re-Estiz Kingdom's future you peasants! Our heroic deeds are the stuff legends are made of!"

The most hilarious jokes were shouted by the kingdoms commanders for the seventh time. It has been the same every year, and it never changed. That also includes that the hardship of leaving ones wife, son and work also never changed. "Stephen!"someone shouted from somewhere and Stephen stretching his neck to find an old friend.

Aden Hagerst made his way through similarly clothed soldiers and they greeted each other like the old friends they were with a rude shoulder bash. Stephen and Aden have been raised in the same village, but they took different paths after marriage and while Stephen moved thanks to his wife into the city E-Rantel and became a carpenter, Stephen stayed. The first time they saw each other again was 6 years ago within one of these fights. Ever since then it was a ritual to search for one another and being in such an unorganized army with more men than weapons it wasn't hard to leave your assigned formation.

 _"So you just sneaked out again, you cheeky bastard?"_

 _"Haha, is that how you greet me? How is your wife and kiddo?"_

 _"She just becomes more annoying every year and that lil' boy doesn't know when to stop growing."_

Both burst out in laughter and wiped the tears away. It wasn't funny at all but just talking about daily things on the battlefield made them laugh. But in all seriousness Stephen's wife is his biggest love and luck. Her parents made it nearly impossible to marry her, but he couldn't give up. They fell in love. A completely strange person suddenly became the most precious thing to him. And when his own parents wavered and tried to persuade him to give up on her, it just made it's less acceptable. In the end it was like a love story a bard would tell bypassing a village. A farmer boy marries the town girl. What a joke! But it really happened. He married the wife he wished for and she became his biggest treasure. Well maybe their son made an exception but that was negotiable. His now 10yr old had a knife and every time he thought he had grown he carved his height on a tree. Then he would run to his father and present him proudly that he has again grown for like an inch, whereupon Stephen couldn't resist hugging that little fellow and be as proud as he could get. Of course the boy recently struggled with it and tried to escape this embarrassment for how it is normal for kids his age. When did he grow up?

 _"Just as me! It feels like I am raising a tree!_ _"_ Aden bends over from his own not stopping laughter. That made him snap out of his daydreams. Aden's son died long ago, sometime around the 4th skirmish against the empire, to an illness and when Aden returned from the battlefield with a trauma he couldn't accept his sons death and lived since then in his own world. An illusion.

 _"And your wife?"_ Stephen asked cheerfully with a forced smile. The friend hoped for him to have left at least one shadow behind but he hasn't.

 _"She's doing pretty well, but she always gets angry at me for drinking to much at the bar, y'now."_ Aden states sad as it would be a common problem. Another lie, his wife left him after their child's death because she couldn't live on with someone who lived in the past. She has once been at Stephens family home and told him how she couldn't live like that.

 _"Why? Hasn't he lost enough yet?_ _"_ Stephen remembered asking her.

 _"You! You can't imagine what I am going through you lucky bastard!_ _"_ she shouted and lost control over her breath. Stephen swore to see tears coming from her eyes while she is whispering explaining: _"Imagine you son died and one year later your wife is coming to your bedroom and casually talking about your dead son. How he apparently caused trouble to the neighbors or played with their dog or how kind he was to an elder of the village..._ _"_ Stephen was speechless and proposed her to stay, but she left. To begin anew.

The gods know where she went.

Stephen felt an immeasurable pain burning in his chest back then, and he felt lucky, lucky to still be welcomed by a loving family after a hard day.

Nonetheless, he felt bad for being happy while Aden probably hasn't even realized in his sick mind that he doesn't have a family anymore.

But none of that mattered right now, right here on the battlefield. All they could do was to pray to whatever gods they had and fight like every year for their return.

 _"I just hope that I won't have to come back for this childish game the empire and the kingdom do next year."_

 _"Aye."replied Stephen not being entirely sure if that would be a good thing._

After wishing the best of luck they moved to their respective wings and formed up. While Aden was stationed in the front main force, Stephen was in the rear of the left wing. Before departure they speculated who was at higher risk here: Stephan, who was in the rear but part of the wing that would probably attack first or Stephen who was in the front but whose troops were more or less only to protect the king.

The 2 armies stared down each other on the Katze plains, the place where dead come back to life when enough blood is shed upon them. Like usual the armies lined up, the empire before their outpost and the kingdom between them and E-Rantel.

Some soldiers looked around like Stephen to see the man. Stephen never personally met him but when he saw him in the last skirmish fighting he recognized the whispers that slowly turned into tales to be true. Gazef Stronoff, renown hero throughout the nations, is Re-Estize's Warrior captain and is to be said the strongest sword fighter In existence. But that didn't matter to Stephen. The man was a hero among heros for him because if what he heard was true, Gazef was a commoner like him, like most of the people on the battlefield. And to see someone reaching so high made him want to reach higher as well. But one thing bugged him, where was Gazef Stronoff? Normally he would have ridden around the army to keep up the moral, but he was nowhere to be seen. Did he stay with the king? Was there a reason for that?

After 7 years of the same kind of repeated warfare even an uneducated peasant like Stephen understood how the things were.

But today has been different... why was that?

Rumors tell that this time a powerful magic caster would take part on the empires side and most of the surrounding soldiers couldn't help but converse about what is the meaning of all this. Is Gazef-dono protecting the king? The confusion reached its peak when soldiers noticed that the empire hasn't charged yet. It wasn't only Stephen who was a commoner but actually nobody had a clue why the empire didn't start with their usual offensive. Stephen made up a plan like last year, he would look for an opponent who wasn't that strong and keep him occupied as long as he could and then run away. He was a carpenter, not a fighter. That certainly hasn't change after 7 years of self-repeating war.

Suddenly a commotion erupted and stopped everyone in their chats. A dark figure was above then and flew towards them from the enemy camp. This must be this magic caster...

Everyone stopped in their tracks. If this is an attack, it's the signal for all of us to attack, right? Stephen looked around to find the noble responsible for this wing but he was way to fascinated by these flying figures. Shit!

He couldn't see much from the rear, but he identified at least 3 figures which now stopped between them and the empire above the katze plains.

The monstrous big one in the middle that made his skin wire did something and as a result he and both of his followers where in something like a column. This column was encircled by many strange signs and even though he couldn't read and only write his name, Stephen didn't recognize any letters. These symbols shined like the moons reflection on water. There was only one word to describe what was happening here. Magic

The moment this column burst into nothing something like dust moved towards them and for a second nothing happened, but then the soldiers, riders and horses started to fall one after another only to be embraced by eternal slumber. Stephen Ambro died before hitting the ground. He would never know what killed him. The only thing the poor farmer Ambro took with him into nothingness were his concerns for his wife Penny and his son Reid.

* * *

These were the last thoughts of the carpenter Stephen Ambro before his death. The "black wind" which was more than a dust that nobody heard or smelled slaughtered that very moment 70.000 men and used them as sacrifice to summon monsters which again butchered in a terrifying way another 40.000 men by stomping them to sludge.

These soldiers were a sacrifice to establish the rule of the sorcerer king Ainz Ooal Gown in the newly found nation, the sorcerous Kingdom.

* * *

 _"Give me back my daddy!"_

 _"Give me back my daddy! You monster!"_

Why did I throw that stone, asked Reid himself. He didn't know why; it just felt like the right thing to do. Natural, like breathing. His mother has been talking about serious matters Reid wasn't able to understand with a relative in a closed up house. He didn't know why everyone was so uneasy and didn't like the atmosphere, so he went out to catch fresh air. When the boy used the backdoor, he was able to hear a mysteries music playing, but he hasn't had much time to wonder because suddenly a figure emerged from the shadows. Anything that came after that was a blurred memory from an old man and the feeling of throwing a stone. The boy just wanted to throw a rock at that parade. And when he finally got to throw it at this scary parade, his mother caught up to him and hugged him tight as she would shield him and screamed but he didn't know why, all he did was to stare around in confusion. How could he have known back then that he threw a stone at the most powerful magic caster in existence? Moreover the new king of this land and city. He's sure that he was so confused that he doesn't remember the largest part of what happened, but one thing he couldn't forget.

His idol. The great Momon. The dark hero. A greater legend in E-Rantel than Gazef has ever been. And then that great hero even talked to him, shacked his hand and petted his head. And even though this was one of the best things that ever happened to him, it couldn't blend out the beating he received from his mother either. Shortly after he had thrown that stone, his mother slapped the hell out of him. Like a punching bag. 5 years ago he was so confused he couldn't think straight but recently when he thought back to that event he realized that it must have been his mothers despair after losing father that made her so angry. How could he, must she have thought, how could they both her husband and her son, do something so stupid? Just dying without her. How would she live on without either of them? Surprisingly Reid didn't die. The reason was, as he was later pridefully explained by a beautiful maid, that all subjects of Ainz Ooal Gown deserve eternal prosperity.


	2. Overlord: After The War I

**Chapter I:**

 **Penny**

{5 years after the battle}

 _"We know mom."_

 _"And brush your teeth!"_

 _"Okay mom..."_

 _"And don't let any Girl sweet talk you boys! You've become such strong and reliable men; I understand they just can't help themselves but to fall for you!"_

 _"Mom! They won't wait all day!_ reminded the nearly grown up boy his mother.

 _"Stay safe."_ Added his younger brother.

Penny proudly hugged both, Reid and one of her foster children Zaharu knowing she wouldn't see them for quite some time. Penny was on her way to the allied city state union north-east because Nazarik decided to open up a new orphanage which would be led by Pestonya. Penny was assigned by the head maid Yuri Alpha to help her. She would have preferred to stay, but Mrs Alpha judged her to fit the supportive role and help the humanoid half-dog Pestonya, so how could she possibly say no? She was too indebted by Mrs Alpha to decline.

{2 months after the battle}

2 months after her husbands death she and her son were still eating the leftovers from some friends and lived from what Stephen has left them. A few coins, a sad prove of his life, but enough to make it through the rough time when E-Rantel changed its ruler, so she was thankful, even if it was next to nothing.

It was a Sunday afternoon, Penny remembers, when she met Mrs Yuri Alpha for the first time. Since that demon or angel woman that tried to slice her and Reid to pieces she hasn't seen such beauty, but there she was, another elegant divine looking lady. Her raven black hair was tied into a low-cropped bun at the back of her head and she wore a steel-clad maid outfit which was accompanied by threatening green gauntlets. Intelligent glimmering eyes scanned her from behind exceptionally well-made glasses. Her father was an optometrist, so she knew the difference between 'garbage' and 'masterpiece's as her father taught her once. She was completely embarrassed when she noticed that she had been staring at her all this time open mouthed.

 _"Mrs. Penny Ambro? I am Yuri Alpha. Do I have the permission to enter?"_

Asked the maiden and stuttering penny allowed her to come in. Reid wasn't home right now and so the cramped home which consisted of only one room was enough for the two women. Penny indicated her guest to sit down while she herself took a seat across her.

 _"Would you like some tee, or...?"_

who am kidding, thought Penny. I can't possibly offer her anything.

As if Yuri understood her circumstances, she politely declined and moved on to her reason for being here.

 _"My master, the king of this city, Ainz Ooal Gown ..."_

The rest of the sentence was cut off in her memory; she stopped listening at this point. Who would resent her for that? She lost her husband and nearly her little Reid as well. Ignoring the fact this Ainz Ol something was undead and slaughtered more than 100.000 people, he was inevitable the one responsible for the death of Stephen. Someone could vaguely guess that she didn't harbor friendly feelings for that new king. That carried over to this maid that was sitting in front of Penny. How could such a cruel being even exist?!

 _"... he wishes to redeem the foolish soldiers that..."_

 _"Aaarrhhh!"_

Something more of a pained screech than a angry shout escaped Penny's mouth when she instantaneously stood up and furiously hit the wooden bowl that was on the table so hard it flew diagonally through the room and shattered the only window and the noises from the street entered. It all happened instinctively when she heard how f%cking high that damn undead her late husband regarded.

Trembling, the widow and now single mother whispered:

 _"Not only you threaten my son after slaying my love, my husband, the father of my child ... no it was not enough ... now you describe him as foolish...? Go to that stupid king of yours and tell him to f%uck himself! Get the f%ck out'e'here!"_

While the mother was standing, wheezing and having tears running over her cheeks, Yuri was unmovable on her seat and completely calm registered that reaction. The still calm Yuri Alpha took down her glasses and penetrated Penny with her eyes. When she did, a cold shiver came up Pennys spine and she felt a killing intent enough to make her shake violently and make her want to curl into a ball and give up on life.

The Pleiades wasn't particularly happy with the result of that chat. The idea was to offer an opportunity to the widowed women and after finding a more or less reliable city register of E-Rantel, this has been her first clue for a potential subject. That human should be thankful for the offer and yet ... Did she fail in such a simple task as recruiting a human? Not only did that human insult her, moreover it also insulted her master, the last supreme being. Yuri didn't have the magic enhanced voice Demiurge-same used to make people on a certain level obey but a mere human would bend like noodle after experiencing her bloodlust.

 _"Sit down."_

... or wouldn't she?

She felt like she could die any second now. Penny somehow knew that this woman was stronger and more intimidating than anything she has seen so far. Even that angelic demon woman with the huge battle axe hasn't given of such a killing intent. She couldn't compare that thing she invited into her home to anything, even Veteran Soldiers felt like children compared to that. So why didn't she back down and did as she was told?

No. How could she back down now? It was precisely that she just couldn't. All she said was right: the love of her live was still dead and she still had nightmares about Reid being sliced up in two pieces. She would bring shame on Stephen if she backed down and so she stood proud. Even if it was practically suicide, because Yuri Alpha could kill her immediately, but pride made people dumb.

The situation was tense and neither of them backed down. Surprisingly a familiar laugh rang trough the destroyed window and its owner bashed through the door. After the incident with the parade, Reid became quite famous around the citizens of E-Rantel and so he often went from street to street to tag along the other children to play. They all admired him because Mormon petted his head, he told his mother. Of course Yuri already concealed her killing intent and didn't move in her seat while observing the situation. It was probably her son who hugged his mother and overwhelmed her by explaining energetically his day: how nice it was to play with everyone, how a kid fell but stood back up and that the death knights didn't scare him anymore.

He was so occupied by his own story that he didn't even notice Yuri. And when he did, the similarities to his mother were clearly to be seen, to Yuri Alphas amusement, because he as well forgot how to talk and just stared at her open mouthed.

 _"Hey my little sunshine._ "Penny got her sons attention back who was still staring. _"Mommy has something to discuss with an important guest, ok? Can you tell me latter about that death knight?"_

 _"Okay! But I have so much to talk about!_ "Reid streched his arms to demonstrate that his mother probably wouldn't get any sleep tonight and slowly left the room catching a last glimpse on that maid.

While Yuri still smiled, Penny already stopped when Reid turned his back to her. She felt that the situation loosed up a bit but the topic was still the same.

 _"Please leave. I don't want to have anything to do with you or your master. You already took enough from me."_

Meanwhile, Yuri stood up and looked around the room. Penny stood still while Yuri walked around and inspected in what shape the room was. A shabby one of course.

 _"Of course I can't possibly understand or relate to how you feel, but I can surely imagine. I may not be human but I do also have emotions."_

The dumbfounded mother who only understood that this wasn't a human before her but something else, which slowly made sense regarding her aura, started to listen.

 _"Why did you stay untill now? Why not start a new life with your son."_

Penny couldn't answer. Well, she could, but the truth was already implied in Yuri Alphas words.

 _"You cannot."_

Silently Penny nodded, and Yuri returned to her seat.

 _"Please, take a seat._ " Yuri told her in a friendly tone accompanied by a pair of emphasizing eyes and Penny did as told.

 _"You can't because you don't have the money for it. And even if you somehow managed to get it to make it to the next city, for example to E-Pespel, do you think the city would welcome a mother and her child? Where would you get the money from?"_

Penny felt like being scolded by her mother who clearly showed her where she made a mistake and she nodded a bit.

 _"Mrs Ambro? Leaving this city won't help you. But I can help you."_

Penny stopped looking down. Reality made her head hanging. Now she looked the maiden directly in the eyes.

 _"My master Ainz is pained because many people died that day. He asked your former king to hand over E-Rantel peacefully, but he declined."_

That was something new. Penny haven't heard about that, so she silently kept listening.

 _"Do you know of the famous Warrior captain who died that day? The man named Gazef Stronoff?"_

Yes, Penny did. A painful memory: Stephen and Reid sit next to each other and exchanging information about their hero's like little boys. One had a crush on 'Stronoff-dono' and the other on 'Momon-dono'. They couldn't agree on who was stronger and even though it hurt she smiled a little and nodded, yes she knew who that man was.

 _"He himself warned the king, but he still didn't listen. So my master, Ainz-sama had no other choice."_

Even the trusted warrior captain warned him... has her king really made a mistake?

But something didn't add up, penny thought. He could have just given up E-Rantel.

 _"No, he could not."_ Yuri smiled because when she noticed what the person across was thinking.

 _"He wishes to create a kingdom where every one is safe and lives a good live. And E-Rantel was necessary for that."_

Yuri smiled and delivered the final blow.

"Ainz Ooal Gown wishes the people of his Country to live in harmony where nobody has to suffer and lives a peaceful life. For that purpose we offer you, who lost someone in the last war, two options. One is to rebuild villages. You get every necessity you need for a fresh start. You and some other people just have to command some of the undead we give you for the farm and everything will work out. We won't even take taxes for the first year."

It felt like a miracle. That way, neither her son nor, her would starve. While she knew it would be rude, Penny couldn't help herself but to be curious.

 _"And the second possible option?"_

 _"It depends ... do you like children?"_

 _"Huh?"_

{5 years after the battle, present}

But who would have thought that at the time Mrs Alpha meant the children of every species, Penny recalled the memory amused. After almost 5 years of service as foster mother in the Orphanage of Ainz Ooal Gown she still was happy to have made that decision.

 _"Mrs. Ambro?"_

The Harpy Lulu asked with a friendly smile.

She was lost in thoughts.

 _"Don't worry, everything's fine."_

 _"I am not worried Mrs. Ambro, that feeling simply is not part of my nature. And we don't have this conversation for the first time."_

 _Not once or twice but this was actually the third time of her spacing out at the portal. While waiting for the last arrangements to be done she always reminisced about the past._

 _"Haha, you got me there."_

Penny adjusted her coat and smiled when she finally stepped in the teleportation circle.

Every allied country, meaning all of the surrounding countries, had one and were only used for the personnel of Nazarik or VIPs. The harpy Lulu was one of the 6 or 7 teleportation managers who looked over their own portal and who used it. The portal was more like a enclosed stone plate of more than a 3m radius. She was already expected by Pestonya at the other end.

 _"Reid! Zaharu! If I come to hear that you kids don't behave yourself than I am coming back to personally kick your asses! Same goes for your brothers and sisters! You have to watch over them! And write me goddamn letters! Love you!"_

While the teleportation kicked in, she waved them as hard as she could. Who knew when they would see each other again?

The brothers who had accompanied their mother laughed and waved back to her. A short white flash shot from beneath the 2 woman, engulfing Lulu and Penny completely in uninterruptible white.

Zaharu tapped Reid on the shoulder with his scaled hand.

 _"Let's go. We gotta get back before they wake up."_

 _"Sure thing._ "replied Reid to his brother. They left the backyard of the administration building where the teleportation circle is positioned and stepped on the street. Autumn painted the street in a deep red.

The street leading to a special place, home.

* * *

 **My Note:**

That really didn't take long. I supposed that the first chapter would take sometime before I publish it, but there we are! I hoped to get away from the world building part but instead I ended up again writing about the past, but hey! Next chapter must be the present right? Well, I hope so. Dunno what I write while being high. And hey the story got one, two, three .. nine follower! Way to go guys! I shouldn't be so happy about that since surely half of them just marked the story and will never read it anyway but that makes it four or five! Way to go guys!

Anyway, as I already mentioned I wanted to leave the past and make the next chapter finally more about Reid and the present but don't expect an overview or something like "Nazarik crushed this and subjugated that..."that won't happen.

And thanks for the reviews! Haven't seen any negative ones tho... if you encounter mistakes just spam me. I hate mistakes, but I tend to make them.


	3. Overlord: After the war II

**Chapter II:**

 **E-Rantel**

{5 years after the battle}

Slowly but steady the morning sun began to rise and with her the capital of the sorcerous kingdom, E-Rantel. Since the uprising of its new king 5 years ago has been the capital through huge changes. In the early years there were two 30m sized statues of the absolute ruler stationed at the gates of the cites but so is no more. There are now 41 different statues spread throughout the entire continent while eight of them are positioned in an appropriate distance around the capital and the one resembling Ainz Ooal Gown, the King, watches over the capital from its core. The reason for the number and their different looks; they all looked different: one like a knight, the other like a slime or a goat, is unknown, but when asked the answer was "Our highest ruler demanded so" and so nobody needed further explanations.

While the original circle form hasn't changed, the city's size on its own tripled. With each new allied country, starting with the Empire, E-Rantel has gained in size and citizens. The reasons for that are plainly simple. Popularity. Its the land where magic rules and where people swim in sugar, gold and wine (regarding to the lizard men, it also includes fish), is the thought of many and they may not be so wrong. The kingdoms goods are of unrivaled quality and quantity, which contributes to low prices and wealthy living. Similar to that is their technological pride. Since the revival of the long forgotten Dwarfen technology "RuneCraft"(SASUGA NEIA'S BOW) and it's legendary comeback on the adventures market, people realized that these marvelous products outclass every known magical item.

And while the adventures still fight and brag about new items, the normal citizens spend their time for amusement in the arena watching how gladiators proved their strength against dangerous beasts or one another. The arena was a gift from the vassal state's governor of the empire, Jirniv Rune Farlord El Nix. If the king was pleased is a mystery but the people certainly were.

* * *

Zaharu and Reid went across the plaza directed to their home.

 _"Ah, she will never change, right?"_

They passed the first merchants who went into their shops and the lizardmen turned to his brother.

 _"Dude, you know her longer than I do."_

 _"Haha, ah right I almost forgot._ " he chuckled.

Zaharu came to them almost immediately when they built the orphanage because he was a handpicked orphan from the lizard man city governed by cocytus. He may have been the only other racial kid who hasn't been shy. No wonder Reid and Zaharu quickly became friends.

Zaharu let out a long yawn which caused some merchants to look at him.

Reid sighed at his brothers behavior.

 _"Yawning without hiding your mouth is considered rude, I thought you know that."_

 _"Ah mom is away so i can let loose a bit."_

 _"Aha mhm, I think I should tell mom when she comes back..."_

 _"What?! You would do that?! You really consider betraying me brother?!_ "That strong lizard man all the sudden got whiny and shook Roid by holding his collar. That lizard man may look like a big (he is taller than Reid despite being younger) intimidating wildlife predator but in reality he was this. His adorable younger brother who gets scared of moms scoldings. Of course his brother overreacted a bit.

 _"Ok!Ok! I get it. But at least don't do it in front of the young ones._ Soothed Reid the situation and took his brothers relatively sharp claws from his collar.

 _"Man, you really scared me!"_ replied his tail swinging Zaharu smiling with his not-scary-at-all reptilian face. Reid took a good look at his brother. Zaharu still had something childish almost innocent on him despite having a rough nature. Even though he lived the last 5 years with humans he still behaves like a lizard man: immense fish consumption, swimming and sleeping on the ground with a pile of hay.

But there is something that really makes him stand out between other Lizard men. He loves clothes. He wears usually loose, wide trousers and so called 't-shirt's (another invention only to be found in the sorcerous kingdom). What made him wear clothes for the first time was his first real winter around humans and since then he sticks with it. It was morning but they must have already seen all possible races this continent has to over. And probably also the deadliest city guards anyone it has to offer.

And then Reid saw him. They passed the adventures guild, and it was just a glance but it must have been definitely Mr Ainzach and E-Rantel's hero going inside a wagon. Momon-dono. His glory didn't stop at the end of E-Rantels city gates. Tales of his heroic deeds spread to all of Nazariks United Kingdom's. Reid heard that there were plans on making a statue of him but Momon found out and politely declined. What a humble man...

Suddenly there was something, Reid felt an impact. He had walked into someone. The someone was a coated person with a bag and an irrationally divine looking bow.

The person looked behind and all of her movements were made in a swift motion. If someone had in mind to do any harm, he would have a hard time.

"Sorry eh ..."

"I am okay. Nothing happened." A female voice said from under the coats hood. Seemed like she already lost any interest in him after confirming that there was no ill intent.

"Th..." Reid sneaked a peak under the mysterious woman's and discovered eyes cautiously glaring at him. It was an adult woman, at least some years older than him, with a tanned face and judging from some scattered curls she had blonde hair. Normally Reid wouldn't pay her more attention than that but the bow and her gaze picked his curiosity. The shadows under her eyes may have been made her look like thug or bandit but somehow her eyes and beauty made a unusual and exotic contrast to one another. As if she were a stained sun. Reid couldn't avert his eyes for even a moment.

But as surprisingly the moment began, it also ended. A bit hasty she turned around saying nothing more than a farewell. Reid remained stunned.

 _"Close your mouth ..."_ reminded him the lizard men without human manners and clapping on his shoulder.

 _"Oh ... eh ... yea sorry."_

Meanwhile Momons carriage was long gone.

 _"Hehe, never seen you react like that. Wait ... you're bit red around your noise.", Zaharu laughed._

 _"Come on, I'm just a regular guy who just happened to see a beautiful girl."_

 _"I see, I see. A beautiful girl you 'accidentally' bumped into. I can see it clearly!", said Zaharu's with pure confidence and jumped on an empty stone bench whereupon he declared with confidence and a puffed out chest:_

 _"Ladies and Gentleman! A love story is about to begin! The story of the brave Reid and his romantically encounter!"_

 _People looked at him and just walked by. Just a young lizard trying hard to look like a coward, was probably their shared thought._

 _When Zaharu noticed that his gag wouldn't get enough followers, he quickly jumped down from the hard, already groaning stone and catched up to his brother, who had_ _covered his face out of shame but also to cover his laugh while he kept walking, pretending not to know this lizard who mimicked a bard._

 _"Haha. Ouf. But in all seriousness, I've never seen you react like that. Wait no, only when you get to see this Momon.", Zaharu revived their chat again._

 _"But that's because he is a national hero." Replied Reid, grateful for changing the subject._

 _"I think you meant 'international' since other nations also acknowledged him as hero."_

 _"Damn, I forgot ... Mrs Nigredo would probably hit me with the stick of death she uses when we don't pay attention in class."_

 _"Haha, then you shouldn't daydream in class."_

An awkward silence followed because they touched a complicated topic.

For a while they just walked beside each other in silence until Zaharu broke their unspoken agreement. Again.

 _"After all these years I still don't get why he's such a big deal. I mean, isn't he human? Won't he die one day?"_

The death of the hero Momon was an untouched and almost forbidden topic. To even think about it was blasphemy. Everyone saw the human in Momon rather as a symbol, so to say a man who even though he was human achieved a height nobody dreamed of, and not that he is mortal. But Zaharu was different. His line of thought was that he will die one day, something along the lines 'he can't be that powerful, right?'.

Reid sighed as they kept walking. This wasn't their first conversation about that. It repeated itself over and over in all their shared years. Who was the real hero, Momon or ...

 _"So look, I get that all the things Momon did were insane and impossible for all of us. Like he's a kind of a superhero, almost inhuman. But you know who's an actual god?"_

And there we go again, Reid thought for the second time this month.

 _"Our eternal king! I mean Ainz Ooal Gown is for over a year the high king of all nations and kingdoms and just look what he has done! We experience the beginning of a period of peace nobody would have ever imagined!"_

 _"You're exaggerating." Reid tried to calm him. Was he like that when talking about Momon-dono? Zaharu inhaled... oh oh_

 _"No, I don't! Let's take a look at his Majesty's heroic actions:.."_

the lizard men showed his claw and one after the other he raised one of his scaled fingers.

 _"He stopped the skirmishes between the Re-Estize kingdom and the empire, he saved the dwarfs from extinction, he saved the holy kingdom who should have been his natural enemy, the dragonic kingdom ..., the Argland council state alliance...the calzanas city state union..., he prevented the rampage of the slaine theocracy. Not to mention all the slaves he ordered to set free last year!"_

 _"This..."_ isn't entirely true, was something Reid wanted to say but didn't. There was no point in talking. His brothers was bullheaded as hard as Reid himself, if not harder, and he couldn't deny that most of this was true. They reached their destination.

 _"I see you two are arguing again."_ said the girl standing in the entrance of the orphanage.

 _"Oh"_ Zaharu came to a stop, much to Reid's relief.

 _"Hi Sora"_

* * *

Demiurge had his legs crossed and rested then on his desk and stared at the perfect, polished, shaped yet useless bone in his hands.

He had the hobby to make furniture out of human bones but unfortunately he was too efficient. He already made every furniture possible.

For the first time he wished not to be created as a genius.

While Demiurge was in deep thought about what he could turn his interest towards to next, somebody used the magic spell 'call' on him.

 _"Demiurge-san?"_

 _Demiurge already stated at one of Nazariks "Everyone" meetings that everyone was allowed to call him and ask for help or advice. After his 'perfect accomplishments', as his master called it, in the Holy kingdom and the Slaine theocracy incident he was ordered to 'relaxe' and 'take a vacation'. Demiurge was sure this must have been a secret order just for him but after weeks and months of excessive speculation demiurge had to accept the reality that his maste has put him on a vacation._

 _This bitter reality he already accepted as the truth breeded every second his mind wasn't working for Nazarik's glory a parasite. The 'not-enough' criteria he always feared appeared before him, crushing down on his shoulders._

 _All he could do was to keep him occupied and so he thanked his creator Ulbert Alain Odle, who surely watched over him from another place, for Yuri Alphas call._

 _"Ach Yuri, you don't have to use honorifics. And '-san' isn't better than '-sama'."_

 _"I am sorry Demiurge-sa... I mean, I have important news."_

Demiurge straightened his back and his brain started working again after a long vacation. Yuri Alpha, head maid of the Nazariks founded Orphanages ... director of one of his long time projects.

 _"I am aware of your 'vacant'-state, but I wanted to inform you that I have been able to notice the first positive results recently."_

The project which has been born from the concept of this worlds adventurers. The artificial nutriment.

 _But that was not all of the Pleiades report:_

 _"The power level and growth exceed our expectations. The experiment is, without a doubt, a success."_

Slowly Demiurge leaned back and replied to Yuri.

 _"Thank you for this report and for your hard work Yuri. Keep the observations up until I'll contact you again."_

 _"Of course.",_ bond between them ended because the spell was interrupted by its caster.

Demiurge tilted back on his chair, arching his back and cracking his neck.

He called his adjutant, Evil Lord Envy, who was surely using her 'vacation' for torture.

Upon her entrance she froze in place, Demiurge didn't know why but it didn't stop him from standing up from his bone chair.

"Y-Y-yes Sir, Demiurge S-S-ama?"

"Gather the intelligence network.", was everything he intended to say but the blank fear in his subordinates face irritated him so he asked a sarcastically: "Is something on my face, Envy?"

"Hij! No-o-o there is certainly not!"

"Then go to work."

"Immediately!" And as response to her own words she left Demiurges office and teleported away.

She had lied. There was something on his face.

A big grinning smile.

Demiurge, one of Nazariks masterminds, smiled faced by his masters undoubtedly planned future.

The last act has begun.

* * *

 **My Note:**

 _"No more world building"_ , and other lies I tell myself to sleep at night.

I hope you liked that chapter, even if it's considerable shorter than the first 2.

I won't even mention the current follower counter because I never learned to count that far.

Someone suggested that I punish a poor soul with the task to read through that piece of pure grammatical embarrassment before publishing it and it doesn't sound like a bad idea. But as our great BorderMaster once said: Sounds good, doesn't work.

I didn't even know the concept of beta readers before and when I dived into the huge amount of beta readers FF has to offer ... I didn't even start counting.

And all of their descriptions scared me! I mean "professional writer, no over night shit"

I already ducked up at the first 2 points every beta reader demands!

Well, for now I'll stay on my own 2 feet and most probably I will crawl my way forth nonetheless. I may have a friend around who will help me out, but I'll have to convince him. Stay safe guys.

PS: I am finally back from my vacations, so I planned a bit of an overhaul since I can finally use my pc again.


	4. Overlord: After the war III

**Chapter III: Good Morning**

The doorway of a big building, which has been previously called barraks and now served as the orphanage and School was occupied by a nearly grown up lady sirene going by the name Soraya Vriin. Zaharu's and Reid's older sister and oldest child of the Nazarik orphanage. Actually she was 1,7m tall and didn't make the expression of an older sister but now she stood above the brothers at the top of the stairs leading to the Mansion. And she clearly enjoyed that difference in height.

 _"Are you Bullheads arguing again?_ "was the first thing they got to hear in the morning.

 _"Good Morning to you as well honorable sister of mine."_ Reid ironically bowed before his sister and Zaharu chuckled.

Sora was going to reply but suddenly they noticed loud footsteps coming from the interior of the orphanage.

A little girl emerged behind Sora and jumped over the stairs onto the boys before they could enter the building.She was an adorable little child with blue eyes, blonde hair and a smile brighter than the sun.

 _Haha! Erika! Don't surprise me like that._ "laughed Reid after catching her mid-air. But he tried not to be too loud because it was currently around 7 am and most of the children still asleep.

The 10-year old Kuuderika happily held on to her oldest sibling Reid and gifted him with a cheerful smile. Reid wanted to set her down, but she squeezed him to death like a teddy bear. He somehow managed to smile and pet her head and she just hugged him even harder as response.

 _"Whaaaat, am I going to be left out?!"_ Zaharu jokingly and a bit melodramatic put one hand on his chest and used the other to wipe away non-existential tears.

Innocently their little sister with sparkling eyes fell for Zaharu's trap and hurried to him. But before she could cuddle him, Zaharu easily lifted her up on his shoulders.

 _"Wheeee. Whuhuuu!"_

Imitating a horse, Zaharu was ridden by Erika away from the entrance of their common home. Sora and Reid sat down at the steps of the Orphanage.

His big sister looked after the weird horse and its underage rider, and then turned to him. He already knew from her expression what she was going to ask.

 _"How do you feel?_ " She observed him closely.

 _"... not that bad, I feel a little down but mainly I am okay."_

Penny left early in the morning after saying goodbye to all her children the previous day. She knew that saying goodbye to all of her kids would probably make her break out in tears, so she left in the morning accompanied only by Zaharu and Reid. Apparently it was hard anyway.

They could hear the 'wheeing' sounds from Zaharu. Reid and his sister still where on their seats and savored the scene how Erika practically rode her scaly horse into blank despair.

 _"It's gonna be sometime before we see Penny again."_

 _"Mhm"_

Even though Reid mother was just a teleportation away, the work now shouldered would not allow her to comeback for the next weeks, if not months.

Zaharu looked so exhausted from jumping and humping and 'wheeing' and taking care that Erika didn't fall down that his breath was rattling. He surely wanted to look cool and didn't collapse.

 _"It's important to mom... It's selfish, but I wanted her to stay. But I can't stop her, particularly if she has such an important task."_

A moment of silence emerged but only for a moment.

A smile appeared on their faces. They missed her already. The mother who raised all of them.

Slowly the fearless rider of a Lizardmen returned to her home.

 _"Erika! Leave him be. He's at his limits._ Reid joked from over his spectator place.

Surprised Erika went down from her provisional Mount and checked if that was true. Shocked about his condition she hurried to hug her big Lizard brother back to health and cutely tried to apologized by trying to pet his fish head. But he was already standing so her hand helpless waved around in the air.

Zaharu just smiled heartwarmingly and held his hand so that it was reachable for Erika. Most children would flee before the smile of a lizardman but the little girl interpreted Zaharu's smile differently and hopped to reach his hand for a passionate strike.

Reid squeezed his eyes, so his sadness, which was caused by looking at Erikas cheerful smile, wouldn't be noticed. Erika looked so happy that Reid almost forgot that she, a adorable child with a sunshine smile playing and fooling around like a child should, has been a slave.

As if she knew somebody was thinking about her, Erika turned to Reid and Sora and asked with gestures when they would have breakfast.

When she came to them, she already had lost her voice. For her sake they all learned gestures so she could 'talk' with them.

Reid managed to notice the slight change in Zaharus expression and Sora was going to answer but somebody was faster...

 _"In 20 min, Erika,"_ a voice replied. It wasn't Sora, nor was it Reid. Reid turned around.

From behind them another Woman has appeared at the doorway. A woman who also was a mother to them for the last 5-4 years. A woman in a maid costume and sharp eyes.

* * *

I remember waiting for a the next chapter of an FF once and I really went insane at the time because when I finally could read the new chapter, I had to read the previous chapters again because I forgot what the heck was going on.I really didn't do that on purpose but somehow I didn't get to write something. Maybe because I still have to play through Stardew Valley and Dark Souls 3. Ahh and then there are Manga and Anime as well. The main reason may be that I had to recover from the experience I had after reading Nisekoi... Goddamit That Manga really left me psychically destroyed for more than a week.

But I can tell that I expected something like this. I am someone with energy bursts. I do this and the next second I do something else. So please consider this FF more as something you can be happy about if something's released and not something you are constantly waiting for.There are news about a beta Reader and eventual partner in crime! Maybe he will soon engage into this work as well? I am curious myself.


	5. Overlord: After the war IV

**Chapter IV: Breakfast and ... Love?**

 _"Good Morning Mrs_ _Alpha"_ All of them greeted Yuri Alpha, the maid in charge of the orphanage and it's children, simultaneously. Discipline is what she thought all of them equally.

 _"Good Morning Reid, Sora, Zaharu ... "_ she didn't finish.

The reason was that Sora nearly tripped. Erika sneaked up on her and jumped on her back. All Reid could do was to feel pity for Sora when Erika started waving chaotic orders to her new horse. Something along the lines _'I am hungry'_. Zaharu laughed as reaction to Soraya's difficult expression. Her pale face slowly turned red.

 _"You are so heavyyy!_ "Sora gasped. The response she got was a big sunshine smile. All the while Reid observed Mrs Alpha. A genuine smile appeared on her face, which caused Reid to wonder. When did it become common for her to smile, he questioned his memories. Over the first years there has also been a smile or rather a facial expression imitating a smile. A fake you could say. A mask with a cold gaze. Always staying composed. Almost cunning ... calculating ...

The woman gestured them to come in.

 _"Come inside._ _You three"_ she pointed at Zaharu Sora and Reid, _"can go and help Mrs. Veyron with breakfast._ _And as for you little lady..._ she grabbed Erika who was clinging like a southern Red-Ape to Sora's back and sat that sweet infant casually on her shoulders. Mrs Alpha supported Erika's legs with her hands and looked up to the girl on top of her: _"we have an appointment for a medical check, right?_ " And got a no-so-excited nod as a response.

 _„Are you sad? Have you forgotten that well-behaving children who visit the doctor get a candy?_ "and immediately the girl smiled again.

...But over the years Yuri Alpha started to change. The first, most obvious evidence was that a member of the Pleiades, a battle maid, stopped wearing her gauntlets. The second one was more of natural occurrence none would have expected of Nazariks NPCs. Yuri Alpha simply went from pretending to like the children to actually doing it. It has been a long process and without her noticing she became attached to these toddlers.Most of the children here were orphans after the last war that was waged on the Katze plains and it was hard to get to them . But the love was answered and the children opened up to her and some even started to call her 'mother'.

The maid was already in the hallway and moved forward, while the 3 of them stayed behind.

 _"You better get going, or I make you."_ It was meant as a joke, hopefully.

Reid's hackles raised almost the same time Zaharu shivered. Reactions triggered by a memory.

This maid may seem like an intelligent and beautiful lady, a combination none should underestimate, but the older kids knew how scary she actually was. The first time Reid witnessed her horrifying strength was enough to never rebel against the orphanage's orders again. It just wasn't worth the broken ribs and bones.

* * *

After the head maiden met them at the door, the three of them went to the kitchen. It became a daily routine for the oldest; Reid, Soraya and Zaharu to help out the maids whenever and wherever they can. It began more than a year ago and recently they helped Mrs Veyron by preparing the breakfast and sometimes the main dishes. After entering the kitchen, which was separated from the dining hall by a bar like in a usual cantine, a dozen different aromas welcomed them. The sorcerous kingdom offered its citizens a massive variety of ingredients and recipes coming from all nations bending of this continent.

A blond mature woman in her early 20s "Oh hello, I guess you will help again today. Thank you very much."welcomed them warmly.Sora's and Reid's stomachs grumbled while Zaharus tail started wildly swinging around like a caught snake.

 _"I see you are hungry, ..._ " The beauty whose looks rivaled the ones of Mrs Alpha frowned for a second and then proposed her life saving suggestion: _"how about I make you a quick snack and then we start working? Alright?"_

Grateful and with empty stomachs they sat down. However, they didn't talk but silently started admiring the chief cook of the mansion from the distance. They have seen her making food multiple times, but they weren't bored even once. As all the other maids Mrs Veyron certainly wasn't only precise but also very efficient in everything she did, be it cleaning the tools, examining the ingredients or sharpening the long knife to cut fresh bread into clean pieces.

To put it bluntly, the three basically stared in disbelief how the slim woman with an adorable charm did multiple different things at once without messing up and even bumbling while making it so easy looking. Apparently she was 25 years old and started working here roughly 3 months all other maids the kids had encountered so far she was perfect, well almost. She was beautiful, hard working and someone you just couldn't dislike, but occasionally she just starts swarming for her boyfriend out of nowhere. Who the lucky one was exactly, so she told the excited children, remained a mystery. And damn well she didn't reveal who it was. Many of Reids brothers already started fighting over who would take him on and contest for the beauty who made them luscious sandwiches. A mans love comes through his stomach, or so they say.

Since then, 'love' also appeared in their heads. What was is 'love'? How could you determine that you were in 'love'?These questions occupied Reids mind for a while now. Of course there were girls in town that were nice to look at, some attractive, other sweet.But he had no romantic feelings for them or had he? The heroes from ancient times that saved their woman by putting their own life on the line.Could he do something like that?

But if not the romantic way ... then he surely loved his family, right? Right?

This insecurity shocked Reid. Until now, if someone would have asked, he might have immediately said yes but when he actually thought about it...he had no answer. Say, could you sacrifice yourself to save someone you "loved"?

 _"Spacing out again, Reid?_ " a hand slapped him on the backhead. Finally, he got out of this petty mid-life crisis.

 _"Thanks Sora"_ Reid smiled awkwardly and earned a tired sigh. _"If somethings up, talk to us."_ Zaharu added.That made him smile. Fine, maybe he got no answer for for his concerns but he certainly had people he didn't want to worry over him. _"Nah it's fine. But thanks for the offer."_

Mrs Veyron balanced to their table with delicious sandwiches and citron tea.The Sandwiches ingredients were adjusted individually regarding Reids, Zaharus and Sorayas preferred tastes.Thats how much thought she putted into her work and all Reid could do was to simply admire the ability to always give a 100%.So when they finally started, everyone was bursting with energy. Everyone moved quick and efficient,the result of a simple routine that they kept up for more than 2 months.Zaharu prepared the fresh fish, Reid brew the base of the soup and Sora set the tables.They had it pretty rough when they first started helping out. Making basic dishes was impossible, something was burnt or they used the wrong ingredients.Instead of helping, they really were a hindrance.But the chief cook was patient and helped, and explained whenever she could and somehow they got to the point of not burning down the kitchen in one go. Surprisingly Zaharu got a hang of it quickly. He did not only become good at cooking but Zaharu exceeded especially at sea meals,all Reid and Sora could do was looking jealous at how smoothly and precise he fleeced the fish and how observant his eyes were regarding sea fruits.Reid, on the other hand, wasn't talented, but his soups were pretty acceptable.When Mrs Veyron smiling complimented him that he got better for the first time, he wanted to see for himself and took a big sip.He almost choked thinking about using less paprika next time. He surely drank out galleons of water afterwards.But the biggest dilemma was Soraya. She had problems with smashed potatoes.A clear case for Zaharu and Reid. She must have been cursed since the incident that happened a year ago.After a chain of many unfortunate occurrences, she was locked up in the storeroom under the kitchen for one night.Of course Reid and Zaharu made jokes about it but deep down they were scared that some faithful daySora makes them something to eat and then they would meet their end.So in the end everything unrelated to cooking was left to Soraya, as well as calling everyone for breakfast when they were ready.

One after another their siblings arrived in the dining hall and most of them rubbed their sleepy eyes after clumsy taking their bowl and getting in line for their fill.Everytime Reid saw his little family members digging in he couldn't help but feel happy. All in all the job of making food was more often than not ungrateful.People often complain when it doesn't taste and only a few compliment the cook when it actually tasted.But Reid learned to read the expressions that told him it wasn't good at all, but today there wasn't even one.The variety of the dishes before the children reflected on how many races there were present. Present races were Naga, Khajit, Valkyrie, Lizardmen and many more. Of course the largest part weren't demihumans, but humans. The race that waged war against its environment and inhabitants striving to survive for almost all of its existence. Not too long ago it would not have been possible to experience these races to co-exist, moreover eat at the same table and even with manners.Who would have thought that properly educated Hobgoblins can use knifes and forks better than humans do?

Everyone here was separated in four groups and based on that there were three tables. One was for the maids and other important guests, often adults who wanted to adopt someone. The second one was made for the very young ones up to the age of nine. The second one was for the so-called seniors there, the teenagers and also loudest members of this family gathering. Well then, where could Reid, Zaharu and Soraya sit?" _I._ _mohm. ... miss. mohm.. ... Mom. mohm ..._ "pouted the tear stained on Reid's knees while he tried his best to feed her. _I know... I know I do too."_ Actually many more than a half of the second table couldn't eat for themselves and so it was tradition that the eldest of the Nazariks orphanage took care of their newest members by feeding them.While Reid feed his new now 5 years old sister, he again lost himself in thoughts. He was amazed how the girl on his knees regarded every maid as her mom.And it wasn't just her, many kids did the same. Reid and some others were too old to forget where they came from and so they couldn't just accept a new "mommy" but the younger Kids often began to call them mom, mommy. For them it wasn't too late to have these bonds. For the older however it was more of Auntie relationship, also for Reid. Nonetheless, he saw everyone as a part of his big family.

 _"Hey! Give me back the fish pastry, Krill!_ "demanded desperately the hungry female Naga. _"No can do Miro~. You already had your chance!_ "came back a malicious answer across the table from a bird humanoid.

Amused Zaharua and Sora who accompanied Reid, watched the fuss and happily remembered how it was when they were younger. Back then there was only one big desk and the maids watched closely how everyone behaved.

 _"They have so much freedom, as long as they don't overdo it._ "Zaharu commented.

 _"Who the heck drank my milk?"_ ...short break... then a btrayed _"Lars?!_

 _"Go away Josh, that's my cup."_ answered an uninterested voice. Someone who preferred to eat instead of having to deal with someone.

Soraya couldn't answer while being constantly interrupted and just continued feeding the little one on her laps. Shvara, a female Khajit at the age of three. Its was such a funny feeling holding that furball and feeding it with Zaharus tasty fish. Sora despised fish but was told that it was heavenly. Shvara's tail swinging cleared her doubts anyway. Smiling she enjoyed spending time with the newest addition to her family.

* * *

Soraya is a Sirene, a monster that lived by itself in its habitat preying on smaller lifeforms such as rabbits or birds that were bound by here relatively weak magical voice. The first time she saw something like reptiles, a small one and two bigger. After seeing how they interacted with each other she got the feeling that she must have had something like a father and mother as well. But she didn't even know how her parents looked like. She was alone from the very beginning and after searching the whole lake she lived in and finding nothing she was sure that she has always been alone.The time went by and after being alive for 10 years the monster was confident to kill something larger than fishes, birds or squirrels.Her target was a lizardman, a fisher. She entangled him with her voice to come closer with his face to the water but the moment she wanted to dip her teeth into his unprotected throat a second one appeared and the monster panicked. He must have slept because she watched the boat for quite some time before she finally decided to attack. Not only did the first one free himself from her control, but she was also to slow to evade the paddle that came swinging at her.When she she woke up she ...

* * *

 _"Sora? Are you there, Sora?_ " a soft clap on the backhead helped her to comeback.What came was a rather awkward silence between Sora and her brothers. _"We are quit now, aren't we?_ " Reid jokingly asked with a stupid big smile on his face. And Sora couldn't say they weren't. _"Guess we really get older._ " Seeing her smile, her brothers smiled. Her past self was without family, which was important is now irrelevant.

Reid suddenly noticed someone on the entrance to the dining hall. The man looked like an elderly butler.His hair was entirely white, just like his immaculate beard.He has visible wrinkles on his hollow face, which makes him seem gentle in appearance, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. _"Is that a smoking?_ " Zaharu whispered shocked. Zaharu was a specialist regarding clothes and so it wasn't surprising why he knew about somethings like this.The 'smoking' was something only high monarchs could afford their servants to wear. The 'smoking' came with the rise of the Sorcerous kingdom.Many monarchs told their dressmakers about how exceptionally well clothed the highest rulers butler looked like and demanded a perfect copy.Somehow they managed a rip-off that would never reach the original and costed a high sum but it was enough to satisfy the ones who bend their knee to the sorcerous King.So who was this man?

 _"Sebas!"_ A cheerful shout came from the 1 first table. Mrs Veyron ran towards him, and everyone witnessed how she must have jumped with everything her legs got onto him. Everyone glared at this new guy who was clearly to old for the young cook of this orphanage, especially the boys who had a huge crush on a certain 25 year old. Sebas caught her mid-air and when he let her down they both kissed before an audience full of kids undergoing puberty. It was chaos.Some laughed, other made noises like they would puke, the girl in general held their eyes closed and covered their faces.As for Reid, Zaharu and Sora, they were just sitting open mouthed.

" "one ton and everything went silent.Mrs Alpha was now standing within the center of attention and whistled a clear tone that made everyone silent

because they knew how dangerous it would be not to. Yuri Alpha really disciplined them. _"Sebas-sama, I see you are back from your mission."_ _sama. Yet again: who would Mrs Alpha refer to as sama?_ Wondered Reid.

Sebas who was a little red after receiving such a long kiss held our chief cook in his arms _"Yes, I accompanied our master for the last months and ensured his safety. I am here to collect the reward he promised my good work ._ _It may be rude, but I am sure he will forgive me my imprudence in this situation."_ _"This behaviour doesn't resemble you in the slightest Sebas-sama. You made me curious what this reward may be."_

But instead of an answer the NPC butler of Nazarik, Sebas Veyron, kneeled before the woman who was so red one could mistaken her for a potato. She has been standing aside and was practically a second away from crying. Now she looked Sebas into the eyes. _"Tuareninya Veyron"_ _"Yes, Sebas?"_

The power and the resolve as hard as steel that are put into the next question will be remembered by Reid forever. A man who reveals his feelings to the worldNo, thats, not it. Its only directed to the one before him. The world went silent. _"Will you marry me?"_

Crying she kneels down because her legs gave up and she huged him as tight as she could."For 5 months I wanted to say yes," sobbing she is embraced by his arms once again.

And the audience went wild again.

* * *

Happy Halloween fellas! Its 2 am and I am going to die tomorrow! YEAYHowever, I finally managed to write again. I feel drained. I dont know, everytime I write something on this scale its like some part of me disappears. Weird tho.Unfortunatly this isn't a chapter I made with the friend I mentioned, Its still going to be my own work for now.I really needed more time than usual but I feel like I got some direction done this time which makes me happy.And now be honest! Who also thought about "baby dont hurt me."?Achh last thing! The story hit 50 followers! You see me blushing? Its nice to see your reviews, they ensure me that I am not writting utter bs.

So you next time lads!


	6. Overlord: After the war V

**Chapter V: Believers and Visiters**

Milk white marble obtained from the depths of the sea and purchased from the sea giants at the holy kingdoms coast,

Obsidian so dark it seemed to suck in all light from the dragonic Kingdoms vulcanism mines,

tropical wood that clearly proved its long-lived live with its comparable hardness from the great elven forest of Evasha,

Glass made by using the purest sand of the southward desert and molten under the supervision of expert dwarven craftsmen by the dragons of the sorceress kingdom.

She's been there. She had been at each and every place and every time she had brought reliable professionals of their expertise to inspect the materials used.

She supervised the purchases of the marble and watched closely how the trees were felled.

Fifteen of the best and renown architects supported and advised the girl who was now standing before the entrance of this monument.

Thoughts like

Isn't this too much?*

Is that even possible?*

Why are you even doing this?*

Is this even worth being called his?*

Crossed her mind in the process.

But the image of the person before her eyes reminded her of something. Thinking about him putted her mind at ease and made all worries falter.

He... he would never rebuke or abandon her. He surely could be dissatisfied but she would never know because his kindness wouldn't allow him to show it.

But ... when she questioned her heart then ... In reality it wasn't for him. All of this wasn't for him, but for her. She wanted him to praise her.

That! That was why she had done all of this.

Yes. The girl who was once a paladin Of the light wanted him to praise her.

Honoring him was definitely part of her motivation but denying her hearts wish was futile.

Only a heretic would seek for his gods appraisal, she smiled with an aching heart.

Faced by this sinister weakness of hers, would he smile and forgive her, or would her turn around and leave her in the mud? If she revealed herself ... would she regret it?

"I am sorry I was late in saving you."

The blurry image of a skeletal face appeared before her eyes. The eye sockets were not filled with eyes but with dark red orbs emitting regret and pain of loss.

He saved her.

Something warm spread through her body and conquered her heart. A feeling this warm was enough to keep her going forever. She finally had the courage to enter the gift she made for her god.

The god whose very actions define the justice of this world and hold its fragile pillars in one piece.

Ainz Ooal Gown's Cathedral.

* * *

The city was just recently taken over but after 4 months without bloodshed the citizens began to believe in an undead who wouldn't just kill them meaninglessly.

"*Dual~wielding*",

Pandora's actor had answered a boys question years ago.

He'd been sitting in the conference room for guests in the disguise of E-Rantel's hero and savior, Momon.

To become a substitute for his masters alter ego "Momon, the dark hero" hasn't been a difficul task by all means.

Normally a Doppelgänger would need the person it is imitating alive or its data must be undue into its code, but Pandora Actors high level [Mimic] skill allowed him to create Momon from scratch. Disguised as a guard he chatted with many people here and there as a preparation for his big entrance when his master took the city.

When he asked "What do you think of him?" People happily talked about it. Even with a stranger they have never seen before. Common interests really unites people.

Various other guards who were with him described him as incredibly powerful based on the graveyard accident and what they heard from other guards coming from the capital.

The townsfolk described him as a kind-hearted man who would take on every quest to help the people.

But when asked the adventurers he got different responses: the majority says that he is a hero among hero's with a noble spirit, while others claimed him to be greedy and taking all high level quests while being there only for some months.

The question he had casually asked in the guild became the sparkle for a fierce discussion among the members of the adventures guild and continued in the bar at night. But after some passed around beer and alcohol the situation loosened up and even the guild master Pluton gave a statement.

He stood up proudly and announced: "Momon! Haha, that unbelievable bastard! No matter how difficult the mission, he allways succeded!"

Ainzach took a big sip from his mug and continued: "No matter how you look at it, he is the strongest fighter now, and probably forever."

Everyone agreed, that was something undisputable."So now think about it. Does it matter that he saves villagers from giant anacondas out of greed and lust, or out of honor and kindness?"

Everyone shook their head. "Bullshit. Everyone who sees a difference says bullshit. Bar Maid! Another round in honor for the adamantite adventurer!"

AYE, was the loud response from everyone in the bar. Pandoras Actor smiled in the back of the bar. He got everything he needed to make the new, but old already known, Momon.

How magnificent of his lord to give him, his one and only creation, the ability perfectly suited for this task. Herrlich.

Eventually the biggest change would be the matter of clothing. Momon now finally could wear clothes. When his master used 'perfect warrior' to act as Momon that wasn't possible because his master can only cast as much illusion magic as a face and at that it is very fragile. Now with Pandora's actor onstage new potential possibilities appeared.

For example, Nazarik's intelligence network has spread the rumor that everyone could feel safe in a city of Nazarik in which even the superhuman Momon, the hero of justice, felt safe.

Naturally the people doubted it but changed their opinion once they saw how the until now always armed Dark Hero suddenly walked down the street without armor. In the past, people accepted the reason that he was always wary of possible attacks which is why this scene was so bizarre to them. Did he fell safer in a undead King's city rather than in one of the Re-Estize kingdoms?

He, Pandora's Actor, the Guardian Of the supreme beings treasures who was counted as one of the most intelligent of the ones serving Nazarik, couldn't even begin to fathom the flawless predictions his master did.

It was Thursday, which meant the citizens were allowed to ask questions, make proposals and voice complaints.

At first Friday has been the appointed day for that occasion but due to the immerse number of people standing in line and since Saturday was a free day for Nazarik's personnel they had to move it to Thursday.

("The ruler wills it so" was the explanation when the first protest came from nazariks human and demihuman city-guards, followed by the rest of the employed worked in service of the sorceress kingdom. Of course they all were offered a payment during these free days but some wanted to work anyway, but they gave in once their king voiced his opinion through his executor Momon)

Normally the city smith or the simple peasant farmer working out on the field wouldn't have the audacity to complain about anything the crown, more over the ruler of death, did.

But Pandora's actor knew that his master was curious about what they wanted to talk about and what they were concerned with.

The majority of Nazarik saw his master as the absolute ruler who knows everything. An almighty King.

The being with the highest intelligence quotient in existence.

But he, his masters very creation, knew better. Momonga, now known as the sorceress kingdom Ainz Ooal Gown, wasn't the omniscient King, neither the almighty being and moreover not the most intelligent existence to ever be known to humanity.

The truth was that Ainz just had the aptitude to be a ruler, without being especially strong or intelligent.

He possesses a naturally cunning person, is a strategically genius and the ability to entrust everything he wasn't good at or couldn't do to people capable of it, namely Albedo or Demiurge and now Pandora's Actor. But his ability to force people to do what he wants by letting them belief it's their own will ... that's his most fearsome devilish skill which makes him the one who is fitting the throne.

His master is relentless in his love for Nazarik and its inhabitants so he had learned and learned for the past years and Pandora's actor silently did as if he wouldn't know. He supported his master by being useful and keeping up the image of this absolute and perfect ruler. He was his creation therefore Ainz was his Gott. So even if Momonga, Ainz Ooal Gown, would ever fail, it was rather simple what he had to do. Serve him until the day he could no longer.

Momon allowed the person knocking on the door to enter the room. The voice saying "You may enter" was soft, soothing deep but also modulated. It's user already adopted the nature of the voice and got used to it.

But what entered wasn't a person. It was a little army. A little army of small children that frantically ran to him while he was rising from one of the 2 luxurious armchairs before the fireplace at the end of the room.

Most of Nazariks citizens are evil natured and some even feel enormous bloodlust, which is why the unfolding scene of Momon, Pandora's Actor, being overrun by laughing children and being cuddled would be described by them in every possible way but not ordinary, normal or in the least heartwarming.

But the high lvl NPC felt otherwise. He was always happy to welcome them.

He couldn't help but always smile when they were seemingly happy. That's something he and his master had in common.

Many seemed to forget that his master wasn't simply a cold-blooded undead.

His master is compassionate and hearing out the citizens of this land, which was under the flag of Ainz Ooal Gown, the guild name of his masters precious old comrades, was a given for him.

He used for this task one of the best npc the guild had to offer, Pandora's Actor thought with pride. That showed how important it was to him.

But eventually it could prove useful?

And it certainly did prove it's worth. A lot of complaints and issues were already taken care of or were in the process of being solved. The people felt being cared of and became happy when the mighty Momon heard them out and sometimes the king, or rather Demiurge and Albedo, react to it. Truly Meisterhaft.

But some of the townsfolk didn't just come with complains and troubled minds but also many who admire the adamantium ranked adventurer.

Momon received countless gifts, sweets or farm products from people his master had helped. People of all social classes visit him; craftsman, farmers, merchants, knights, nobles and even monarchs.

But no matter who it was, he always felt the happiest about the children visiting him. They all went "Momon! Momon!" and started to climb up on him or held his legs.

Normally everyone else would go down from 5 kids jumping on him but not the lvl100 Doppelgänger image Momon.

"Ready?" He asked the kids cheerfully and got cries of happiness as response.

He then proceeded to carry around the extra human weight by making big steps. The laughter really made him happy and it polished Momons Reputation.

Many widows came to him after the battle and asked for help and advice. Sometimes they brought their fatherless child as well.

Pandora's actor I categorized this observation as the perfect example for the reproduction urge of living beings faced by with soon death. Although most soldiers who were taken in didn't expect to die. Well, but many died, leaving there wife's and children in the living world. Needless to say that they left them with countless worries and challenging hardships.

And when the city officially was ceded to the sorcerer King, many fled, but who couldn't, especially pregnant widows, reached, out of simple desperation, to Momon, Pandora's Actor. After conveying this issue to Ainz a perfect solution came into existence. The orphanage. Afterwards the people the big Hero negotiated with the devil king and as result they thank him whole heartedly. Momon's reputation exceeded at this point Albedos and Demiurges expectations, on some rare occasions woman even wanted Momon to 'bless' their newborn.

But this wouldn't have happened so fast if there hasn't already been made a proposal containing an idea for an orphanage. And the proposal arises from within a sympathetic, almost altruistic heart.

"I believe that's enough."

A warm sounding voice with slightly hard noticeable cold tone came from the entrance. In accordance to these words, the grip of every kid suddenly loosened up. Perfectly synchronized.

A familiar pair of sharp eyes hidden behind fragile looking glasses met his now wrinkled dark brown Momon-eyes.

Pandora's actor who was now freed from this cute siege army crossed the typically fall season decorated room and made a hint of a light bow and asked for her hand by reaching out his own.

The base for Momons design is that of an article the Doppelgänger found within Nazariks great library.

'The English gentleman' by Japanese Times. Apparently one of Touch-Me Samas favored lectures, as the head-librarian ensured him.

With reference to the gathered information and Momons current position and personality Pandora's actor generates the 'new' Momon.

The hero was now wearing a dark red-black cotton trouser suit on top of a white shirt with rolled up sleeves.

Everything hold tight in place with exceptional made silver braces.

The hair grew longer and combed back, according to the plan there was a skein of grey hair here and there shining through the usual dark chestnut-brown.

Recent bears stubbles accompanied the big smile he showed his female visitor.

"Mylady Alpha. Long time no see."

The kids gang already found something else they could turn their full attention to, namely the double swords 'Momon' used during his adventuring times.

All lined up on the back of the room at the wall, enlightened by a magical candle which emitted a mysterious violett light. Even the sword damaged by Demiurge's [Hellfire] was to be found. That kept them in check, the gentleman thought.

"Yes indeed ... Momon. Thank you for taking your time for us." Yuri Alpha positioned her lips in the form of a hollow but gently looking smile and gave her hand to Pandora's actor so he could kiss the palm.

When Pandora's actor met Yuri Alpha last time it became quite a tense situation.

He was currently guarding the treasure room as he always did.

(Exceptionally he would dare to polish the other long gone masters equipment, but that's a weakness he allowed himself in order to preserve the greatness of Nazariks 41 highest beings!)

Every time when his master bid farewell to a supreme being, he would then come to the treasure room, mourning every time for hours or days over the loss. And every time Pandora's actor had stood there on the entrance to it, saluting and guarding, offering his utmost respect not sure if it worth a penny.

Since the 38th of masters friends left and his never-changing ritual was done, Pandoras Actor hadn't seen him for years.

Was he forgotten? Maybe, maybe not. It wasn't his task to worry over such petty things. He's been created to guard and watch over the sacred hoard of Nazarik.

That was his mission. What he's been made for.

But even so, his life task came second. Serving his Gott was undeniably nummero uno and if he ever failed to help his master, no matter how that help should look like when the times comes, he would die. Simply drop dead.

"May I offer you a seat? You must be tired after shouldering the administration of the orphanage for the last months."

She may smile now but the Doppelgänger litterally heard her line of thought inside this pretty head: -tired of your farce-

"Thank you very much. I'll be in your care."

He smiled as an apology.

You never knew who was watching.

* * *

She left all of her belongings, except the bow on her back, in the antechamber. It consisted of nothing more than a bundle for her traveling necessity, such as 3 apples, a woollen blanket and a flask with fresh water. She had hung up her coat and took the first steps towards the center of the cathedral, her sanctum.

It's been conceived this way so that everyone was able to see the altar well from 1800 now empty seats, 1200 on the main floor and 600 on the top floor, aligned in circles around the altar.

One might one might feel oppressed by the silence but for her it was pacifying.

The world was loud enough for her keen ears.

The divine atmosphere she felt, caused goose bumps on her coarse skin.

Now, st the end of her journey, she had a slight tan and her blonde hair was way longer as it used to be during the holy war with the demi-humans 4 or 5 years ago.

When she finally reached the first step of the stairway that lead up to the altar, she knelt down on one knee and took a deep breath and exhaled again.

She kept still for rough 5 min praying to an existence she missed so much her heart ached every time thought about it how long it has been from when he said „I hope to see you again".

She silently stood up and prepared mentally to take the first step up to the altar, but ...

Something bothered her...

She couldn't quite address it but it felt like ...

like a presence...

She frantically looked up, above her head to the second floors first row. But there was no one to be seen, not even her trained evil-looking eyes couldn't see anyone or anything there in the dimming light of the magical runes.

no ... eventually there was something ... she hadn't seen it at first but there was a slight difference of reflection than elsewhere. So slight that probably no one besides her could notice it. Almost as ...

„oh ho? So you are able to perceive my presence..."

This voice... she would have surely forgotten it if she didn't hear it every night in her dreams. The calming voice of...

„I am impressed. Really, really impressed." the voice had moved and Neia imagines her taking the stairs down as the person talked to her. It was a big church but everything was clearly understandable.

The girl standing on groggy knees fought with herself. She couldn't. Just couldn't...

„It been some time and sure wouldn't have recognized you without that bow."

Oh no, she thought landing unsightly on her but. Her legs refused to support her.

Damn it all, she was 21 years old and experience death and what not. How could she be in this state!?

Oh well, how could she forget. The reason was basically her finally meeting him.

The figure she was able to notice by the unusual reflection came into sight.

Every time the person took a step her heart skipped a beat and when he reach her, she hopelessly broke out in tears.

The magic surrounding him dissolved and revealed a skeleton in an expensive looking black, golden, purple robe.

Now that the moment she was waiting for the last years has come, all she did was wiping her never stopping tears and trying to stop her unstoppable sobbing.

She felt fingers, or rather bone fingers, on her head, which gave her a tinggling feeling down the spine. She looked up to the sorcerers king who was petting her head.

Something told her that he smiled.

„Umu ... I doesn't feel right if seeing you cry. When people start shedding tears because of my sight I start to feel very uncomfortable. So please stop crying..."

He wiped away a tear of her face with the other bony hands finger.

She started to smile. Terrible at jokes as always.

"You don't have to cry, Neia Baraja."

* * *

ouf ... It's been like a month? I guess... And its december already! HOLY SHEIT.

This is not and apology but it kinda shows me and you, beloved, that I only write when I feel like it.

As some of you may already understand, I fullfill one wish after another... or actually many at the same time, which makes me confused pretty much.

And this is bad, because when the writer is confused, then how is the reader supposed to feel?

There is something I will eventually change in chapter2 but we'll see right?

Anyway, its 2 am and if you read this you may have found thousand of mistakes. Sorry for that.

Since Santa is coming and Ill have some free time for boredom, which means my creativity may come as well? Hopefully...

Thats it for this chapters author review. Happy to see you tag along!

PS: Dont forget to buy presents guys. This is a personal hint of mine.


	7. Overlord: After the war VI

**Chapter VI:**

 **Tournament**

{5 months after the battle}

"Ale? Mead? Beer? What is it that you desire, m'lady?"

Letting out a nearly ninja-level hidden breath Yuri Alpha stared at 'Momons' charming smiling face.

"I am sorry, normally my guests take one of these. I doubt I have something worthy of Nazarik direct personal."

"Please dont be sorry. I hadn't planned to take much of your time, so I don't want you to make this unnecessary effort."

"Ahhh... if you say so ... that puts me in a difficult situation as host, but so be it," no drinking at all or is it because of her attitude of 'no-drinking-at-work', mused the Doppelgänger.

He left his exclusive and very luxurious cupboard as it was without taking a drink and sat down before the fireplace, right next to Yuri Alpha, in his leathered armchair.

The children were still excited about Momons sword collection and even started betting who would be brave enough to touch the edge.

Pandora's actor was relaxed, because poison was not part of Momon Sortiment and all harm they could cause to themselves was a little cut.

His attention turned again towards the black haired beauty, who strangely concentrated on the children, sitting beside him ... it was as if she had an inner conflict regarding the children. Scold them or let them experience the eventually upcoming pain so they learn for themselves.

Interesting. The silent observant made a note in his mind. Concerned because she was their foster mother, their protector because of their common masters command or ...

No, ... Pandora's actor, the loyal servant of Ainz Ooal Gown, shacked his head. She wouldn't happen to develop feelings for these children...

Whatever the case, The Pleiades noticed his eyes on her and decided to move on with the conversation:

"Well, I must compliment you, Sir Momon. You managed the tensed up situation in E-Rantel pretty well. Being the middleman between his majesty and the folk must be a tiring and challenging task."

Pandora's factor felt that despite her shown attitude that was a genuine praise.

It may be smalltalk but it made him happy to be praised, even if it comes from a hierarchically lower individual.

"Haha, please stop."

Momon laughed and waved it aside.

"If you don't stop with the praise, I'll blush."

One of the children stepped towards the sword at the bottom of the collection and took the bet. He looked older than the rest and had a decisive look on his face. Once again Yuri Alpha looked to the right because she noticed Pandora's actors attention on the children. The boy stepped forth and slides his finger without hesitation along the edge of horizontally hung up obsidian sword.

Yet another thing that picked his interest. Surprisingly enough that the boy hadn't cut himself, these were by far not the best swords Yggdrasil had to offer but in this world they are enough to cut a leaf falling down on it because of its on weight and the sharp edge. And...

"That's enough playing around. If you don't ask Momon yourself, we'll go home immediately."

Pandora's actors line of thought may have been interrupted by Yuri Alpha but he would return to that later. Now he became curious about what these cute intruders could want of him.

"Ask of me?"

"NOOO, we're coming!" The children cried out and ran to Mrs Alpha, plucking on her battle ready maid costume.

"You promised us! That if we all clean our rooms we can ask him!", cried out a little lizardmen boy with a whiny voice.

"Exactly. You wanted to ask, now is your chance", lectured the foster mother.

As response to that 3/5 hid behind the sitting Yuri Alpha. Who had the courage to stand before him was the boy from before and a girl.

The imposter had a smile on his face when he chose his target. He gentle took the girl and placed her on his lap.

At first sight she looked like a human, but her pale skin, the dark Hair plaited into a pigtail and her resonating cheekbones resembling a wave revealed her to the Doppelgänger as a humanoid monster.

'All subjects under my rule shall live happily ever after' was his masters wish and Pandora's actor couldn't help but smile when the girl let out a big smug smile towards her siblings and let out a little giggle when Momon jumped with his leg a little bit up and down. The warm feeling he now experienced was because he resembled his master. It also proved something to Pandora's actor. The idea to make all races equal and take them under his rule was truly his masters,

"What's your name?"

"Soraya!", the girl declared.

The gave off a courageous ... no a something more mature aura off ... confidence was it, the Man in the chair noticed.

"So, can I ask you something?"

"Sure!" came back a powerful answer from a smiling little girl.

"Is Mrs Alpha taking good care of you?"

From the corner of his view he saw the mother raise the eyebrows at the unexpected question.

"Yes, she is! She may be a bit strict but she takes care of us! Eh ... she feeds us, gives us clothes, we eat together, pray at night, uh ..." the girl stopped for a moment and then continued with new life force:" she even thought me how to brush my teeth! U'see?" And then she proceeded to show Momon shiny teeth. But when the observant looked closer he saw 2 rows of fangs on the top and bottom, hiding behind the regular human ones. A fish humanoid, Pandora's Actor guessed. A honest and straightforward type.

"Haha, alright! So you must love her right?" Asked the curious Doppelgänger.

"Yes!", was the immediate answer. The other children who grabbed resolved onto the maid were the same. They accepted her as their mother. How interesting, mused the NPC. He felt a faint smile appearing on the surprised mothers face, but he must have imagined it. The moment he looked at her she stared coldly back.

"Uhh, well then tell me. What is it that you wanted to ask me?"

"We want to see you fight!", suddenly spluttered from all their mouths.

Pandora's actor was taken aback and perplexed by that sudden outburst so Yuri Alpha explained to him in more detail:

"The children want to see how the legendary hero fights. So they hope to see you in the tournament his majesty will soon announce for the Arena that is going to be finished the next year."

"Next year? How is that possible?"

"Sorry but that's all I know. It may be connected to his majesty's current absence."

"..." the Imitation of Momon stopped moving the leg so Soyara looked curiously at him. On the surface Momon may appear calm, but the cogwheels on the inside worked on high speed.

Pandora's actors intellect collected the pieces and putted them together.

Basically it wasn't anything impressive but it made every component add up to a bigger picture. The reason for Yuri Alpha to come along with the kids and why she mentioned Albedo:

this tournament and his participation was already part of the plan.

After promising the children to participate, they parted at the front door. Momon waved and the kids made a contest out of it who could wave their hand harder but Yuri Alpha hurried them back to the Orphanage.

But before he closed the door, he sent a question per the spell 'message' to Yuri Alpha.

"Why did you mentionhim."

It was something Pandora's Actor did not understand, mentioning their Master was completely unneeded and thus entirely something Yuri Alpha wouldn't do without reason.

"Why?" The Maid didn't stop in her tracks with kids in front of her, she simply looked back with a almost obvious envy.

"Because it would be nice to know where your creator is, isn't it?"

Momon gulped. He was somewhat moved when he ended 'message' by closing the door and the last words conveyed by magic

"Thank you."

* * *

{1 year 4 months after the battle}

"What do you think, Unglaus-San?"

Brain Unglaus awoke from his slumber when his name was mentioned.

How was Gazef enduring all of this?

He was standing at the right side of Re-Estizs King, Rampossa III, in the throne room surrounded by nobles he sensed ill intent from. He wasn't wanted there.

Brain looked around just to see that everyone's attention was turned towards him. He's been daydreaming in these sessions because they bored him more than anything. His eyes weren't closed, but he actually slept. A useful perk he gained from his time as mercenary and bandit. Until now he hasn't been asked anything or asked to do something during these sessions so he didn't know what to say at first. The prize for delaying his answer was a slight awkward silence followed by annoyed gazes from some of the nobles at the feet of the Kings throne. He scratched his neck and read what has been previously handed out to everyone in this room.

 **TOURNAMENT**

 **OF THE SORCERESS KINGDOM**

 _Prove your strength in the tournament which is exclusively hosted by the Sorcerer King,_

 _Ainz Ooal Gown, himself!_

 _Everyone, be it a sword fighter or magic caster,_

 _can participate!_

 _No matter what country you come from, which god you hail or what you are:_

 _The sorcerous kingdom treats everyone equally and only values your strength._

 _So come and seek glory on this tournament of power._

 _The winners price is ..._

„Rampo... My king,", he bowed his head in memory to what _his vice-captain_ teached him, addressed the king properly and replied in the way he had to learn it over the last year: "I am but your mere guard ... my highness. Ehh ... I feel honored by your opinion my king, but I ..."

" ... am just a bandit, isn't that right?" A mocking voice emerged from the ranks of the nobles interrupting Brains apology.

Normally the Nobles were separated into the royal and noble faction but after the massacre almost one and a half years ago the differences between them dwindled and the factions fighting over the Thron stopped.

But the the situation may even got worse.

Even though that now there was no question about Zanac being the next in line for the throne and everyone had a common enemy before their eyes, the nobles foolishly began fighting over the scattered territories left by the late nobles that died in the war. Who thought that the factions was the worst a problem, was grievously mistaking. The ideology changed to survival of the fattest noble, Brain described the situation.

„I mean no offense, my highness, but he is just a bandit who spent more of his lifetime in a cave than under the sun." the voice went on and its owner became visible for Unglaus eyes inbetween the nobles. Count Lytton, former member of the noble faction, must have found a new hobby making him a commoner look bad. Brain couldn't care less what people thought of him, especially since most of the rather unpleasant rumors were right, but the cheer amount of attempts the man made per session to point out that someone doesn't belong there was astounding and praiseworthy for Unglaus.

"That is not the first time you interfere our meeting and moreover the king ... count.", another voice arose from the nobles. Marquis Pespea stepped forth and interfered the senseless mocking. Brains And the young Pespeas eyes crossed whereupon the latter glared coldly towards Brains direction. Brain sighed invisibly.

"I asked you to stop it once before but it seems you just can't escape your insecurity and still have to pick on the ones of lower status."

Brain did not experience this situation for the first time.

"Marquis, I am so sorry for my interruption.", said the Lytton with a acted sorry-smile, "Forgive me my old age, I am sure that when you grow up you will understand the seriousness of our concerns."

This cheap trick again huh?, was Brains thought. The same argument repeated again and again in the kings meetings and it had always ended in exploiting the others weak spot. Be it the Counts low status or the marquis young age, there was always something these nobles would pick on eachother like crows.

Both disliked Brain, so they just used those situation to quarrel with each other.

Some nobles laughed, causing the young one to redden.

"What did you just say to me you little sh..."

"ENOUGH!"

just when the Marquis presumably found a comeback, someone unexpected interrupted a fight between nobles. Moreover between the 2 most influental ones.

Many eyes turned towards Brain, but he would have never dared to stop a fight between two of the six great nobles.

Actually there were only 3 great nobles left after the last 'war' with the empire. While Marquis Blumrush and Boullope deceased, Marquis Raeven returned to his mansion but refuses every contact and invitation, leaving only Count Lytton and Marquis Pespea.

Shocked everyone watched how the king lifted himself up and repeated his words in an angry and clear voice:

"Thats enough of you."

Everyone including Brain was speachless.

The king who was basically known for his advanced age and his fear of a friction between the nobles and his royal blood,

which made him practically just a decoration, waiting to be replaced by the next king.

"Our land is running downhill!"

He slowly went the stairs down. One step at the time.

"And all you can do, is fight over your crumbling honor!"

Another step.

"Whining like children! Each and everyone of you!"

He added with a frown upon his face.

With every step the king took he went down from his high position as king, and for the nobles he must be getting bigger the closer he got to them.

Brain was amazed how this old mans, no this kings, Rampossas, remaining fighting spirit caused a chill down his spine.

"By all respect my King, but..."

zzzzzin ... the Margrave Urovana, the only man who's age wise on equal footing with the king, took a step back when Rampossa unsheathed his sword.

"Yes?" The king asked in cheerful tone.

"Rampossa... you can't treat us like that. This is unwise."

The margrave finished the sentence with a weak voice.

"I will, because I can." The king smiled wholeheartedly, whereupon Urovana took another step back and nearly stumbled backwards. He remembered the smile from their prime time on the battlefield. When they were still young and the pirnce Rampossa and first son Urovana proved themselves on the battlefield.He remembered this face. He prefered not be the enemy of his old comrade at this moment.

"It's foolsih to .."

The old Urovana tried once more to talk sense into his old friend, but...

"HA!" The kings loud voice interrupted him.

" 'Foolish'! 'Foolish' you say? Hahahahahahaha!" the king began the laugh in a heartful manner, causing everyone to be a bit perplexed but ultimatly losing up their guard. Some began to laugh as well, thinking nervously that this was just a joke until now.

But then "Don't make me laugh!", the sudden cold voice and the kings ornamented sword made everyone going silent again.

The king once again looked at the great crowd of nobles before him and gazed deep into everyone's eyes.

"Last time I heard out your advice in regards of that undead, I lost a whole city, probably more than the half of the Re-Estize army, and now we all watch our great land go ruin because of it! Not to mention the only one who had some kind of sense was laughed at by you! Yes all of you!

You called him a traitor but all he tried to saves us from this madness!"

The king was on the edge to tears.

"Because of you, you goddamnit, I lost my friend!"

Silence.

Not a single breath was heard after Rampossas powerful echo faded away.

It made every noble reflect on his past actions and some did notice their incorrect actions.

"Get out."

The King asked with a comparable calm and quit voice.

No noble showed a sign of reaction. As far as everyones memory reached the king never made a noble leave a strategical meeting.

Not Rampossa, or his father, or his fathers father. It's always been the king being polite to the nobles and now that it took a 360* turnaround so they didn't know how to react.

"GET OUT."

This time the king took a fighting stance and Brain who has been standing beside his new king unsheathed his sword as well.

Ultimately the nobles left the room in a hurry, leaving no trace behind.

"Must say my king, that was ... impressive."

Rampossa didn't respond, just sighed, sat down on a step and put the sword away. He crossed his hands before his mouth as if he were a statue potraing a philosophian.

Brain in return sheathed his katana and sat beside his highness like an old comrade.

The fomer bandit felt that way because of the kings words. The way he talked about Gazef caused great sympathy in Unglaus.A friend of Gazef is my friend as well, was his reasoning.

"Gazef ..." Brain began.

" ... was the best man I had the honor to meet in my short and yet long life.

He and a elderly butler saved me from the darkness I created to engulf myself in out of pity."The king didn't budge after Unglaus sat down with him and kept silent since then.

" ... After my crushing defeat against Gazef, who showed me that I do not just need talent but also training, I became even blinder than before..."

Unglaus was all smiles when he shook his head,

"I was on the lookout for strength, seeking greater power than before with just one goal in mind: to beat Gazef for good.

I stole and assassinated just to get better Items, potions, etc

but when I faced a natural catastrophe, the vampire the great momon defeated, I found out that it was all for naught."

Unglaus gulped, the next part wasn't that easy for either of them:

"And when Gazef died," the flashbacks of Gazef life fading away the same moment that damned duel started made it hard to breath "that moment I felt so helpless, even more than before. I wished to die with him. No matter how I looked at it, he was the impenetrable wall I had to cross, to overcome.

On my way back with Climb then, Gazefs dead body on my back, I began to think what exactly happened."

Brains breath returned to a normal state: "Nothing made sense to but after talking with Climb, he's really a perceptive fellow, I realized that what Gazef wanted was to give us, those who were still alive at least a hint on how to defeat the sorcerer king. Gazefs loyalty gave him strength to have hope, hope to defeat that undefeatable foe right before his eyes."

Brain Unglaus closed his eyes to hold back the tears once again, but his breath revealed what he was going through.

"But ... but his death was in vain, in the end a senseless action, because the sorcerer king demonstrate a might we cannot even begin to comprehend."

A few moments of silence passed and Unglaus finished his story when the cheerful laughter of the princess and the concerns of her bodyguard interrupted it and gave him strength.

„Haha, it's embarrassing to say it but ... He, that bastard, will always be my hero."

The Nail clipper, a technic born from technics Gazef used once to fight him, was what he has put all his essence in during his fight, no 'meeting', with that godlike Monster Shalltear.

"Unglaus... The last time I ignored the advice of my trusted aid, I lost practically the whole country..."

the king sighed and started to explain the slightly confused Unglaus his observation: "I've been now the king for a longer period than most people are alive and ... Unglaus ... am not blind, since the war ... everything is running downhill. No even before that ... something felt strange, it's as if something was eating the country alive. Skinning and cooking it. These new third son nobles run amok and do whatever they want and the economy is basically waiting with a rope around its neck, ready for the chair to be kicked away."

The king picked one pf tournament announcements up as it would be of pure diamond.

"This ... this may be my only hope to save my country, my legacy. Unglaus, I need you unbiased opinion as former mercenary, traveller and friend of Gazef who experienced the his duel with the sorcerer king.

What do you think?"

... Unglaus accepted the document from the hands of the old man and quickly saw through it again.

"Then if I can humbly make an observation,

I think, without a doubt, that this is not a fake. I witnessed the sorcerer king and he is a man of honor. As much as I hate him for killing Gazef, I must admit that he has indeed honor. I don't know if I told you that but the Sorcerer king asked Gazef to join him by offering to stop these goat monsters."

"What? He refused?! But they were stopped, weren't they?" The kings asked in confusion.

"Yes he refused and asked the sorcerer king for a one on one duel without a second breath. After the duel ended, the sorcerer king stateted that in honor of Gazefs fomridable spirit he would stop the goats nonetheless."

The king king nodded. underdifferent circumstances they would have eventually understood eachother. A friendly understanding between kings.

Unglaus went on: "The prize is something you could very well describe as something only the sorcerer king is able to grant.

And as such, this Tournament is the biggest opportunity any human will witness in his lifetime...

I expect hundred, no thousand of participants to bet their life."

It looked like the king made up is mind.

"Hm, what would you say Unglaus? Is that something that thrills you?"

"Hard to say ... I don't think it's a secret really but the only thing left for me is fighting for this country and it's people."

A moment of silence fell. The king didn't expect such a straightforward answer.

"Gazefs will?" the monarch asked.

"Gazefs will." the bandit answerd.

"So what if I send you as the last hope this country has?

Will you participate in this Tournament of power and dedicate all your strength to victory in order to save my kingdom, the place Gazefs will keeps on living?"

Unglaus already knew the answer for the kings question beforehand, but his old self, the bandit and outlaw who sought strength for his own selfiesh goals delayed the asnwer.

But nothing has changed, Unglaus smirked. What he was about to do, and all his future decisions would purely be for himself. His own desire to follow his idols ideals and will was selfish in its own right. Unglaus answered the kings question the moment he realized how embarrassing his thoughts were:

"Yes, I will."

The king breathed out the moment Unglaus answered. The king picked up the sword once again and stood up. Brain couldn't feel any ill intent when Rampossas grip tightend around the hilt so he remained calm.

Rampossa and Unglaus suddenly became way more familiar with eachother, as sphere of trust, a connection was created for the first time. Before the present events they've just been the king and the strongest armsman, a "friendship" based on formalities, but now this bond existed solely because of the late warrior captain, their friend and rival.

The king now positioned himself before him and then made him, by striking first his right shoulder, and then the left shoulder lightly, unofficially an official knight, which caused Unglaus to smile a bit in that tense situation.

"You sure know how to talk and make people do your bidding, my king." Unglaus joked with a sunken head while the king silently completely the ceremony. Unglaus felt a faint smile on the kings face: "How do you think I managed to still be on that damn throne after so many years?"

Unglaus lifted himself up.

They both left the throne room and ignored the frantically whispering housemaids.

"When should I go then?"

Brain closed the the door behind them in the kings privat working chambers.

The king swiftly sat down, no, he rushed to his seat and took out pergament and a quill.

"I intend to go myself. I couldn't possibly sit around doing nothing while you do all the work."

Brain was suprised but kept silent. It wasn't his decision to make.

The king added bluntly while he began writing something Brain recognized as a letter. He wasn't the best at reading, truth to be told he never learned it, but that much even he could see.

"A letter?"

"Yes. We will depart once the friend I am inviting arrives here."

"Friend?" Who could be accompany them, Unglaus wondered.

"A brilliant mind who stood beside Gazef in the last war and fortunately survived."

"Ok, and when will he arrive?"

"Haha, do not be so impatient Ungalus.

Everything has to be done in a certain order.

First I have to notify him that he has the honor to accompany us to probably the biggest event in this part of the world. Haha!"

But the kings enthusiasm was of a short duration. It exchanged with with a mix of insecurity and anxiety, as if he was doubting that his last hope, this last plan, would work:

"After all," he sighed, "given all you said is right ...

We can save this country and win everything."

* * *

Later the same day at night, the king was still sitting in his working chamber, sunken into the soft leather-clad armchair. Brain Unglaus already left in order to prepare for the tournament, for that purpose he also received the permission to enter Gazefs Mausoleum.

Sad the king glanced at the handkerchief he coughed in and sighed. He then opened up a shelf with more handkerchiefs of the same kind and threw it inside.

Deep red and dried up before being totally soaked in blood.

No matter how energetic he felt after finally taking action, it felt like the reins he's been chasing for the last years were finally in his hands but now ...

But now it slowly felt like his last stand. The ending of his journey.

Rampossa overrestrained his body and worsend his state quite a bit, or so he thought. For him it was necessary to show those nobles that he was still alive and not just a decoration collecting dust.

knock knocksomeone knocked to the door.

Who could that be, Rampossa wondered. It couldn't be Unglaus who just left for his equipment, and an assassin wouldn't really knock to announce himself.

Once the person entered the room Rampossas smiled for the first time that day as if he experienced pure joy.

He hadn't had the chance to see her the wohle day so seeing her now made him incredibly happy, because the now nearly adult girl made him remember whom he was fighting for and whatever he did for her, would be justified before god.

If he made sure she was safe, then he could proudly stand before his beloved wife in the afterlife.

No matter what, he would always love the girl that was hugging him now. The girl that would, without batting an eye, stab a knive right through his heart.

"Have I told you today that I love you?"

"Hihi. No you haven't. I love you even more father!"

For that he saw no evil, because there was his love.

* * *

4 months? 5 months? pffff, I just had a little break ... nothing to be concerned with. [I hate/love games and books that keep me from writing]

Mannn stuff happened!

Merry Christmas to y'all! And new year! Hope you all made it!

What's new on my side?

Well, I suck at school, my ex became gay,

I found work for the summer at a windsurfing shop,

I wish the start DS 3 once again,

my friends are graduating and I am getting old.

I don't really wanna turn 18 this year ...

However!!!

I apoogize for taking so long, but i hope you enjoyed it, at least those who still read these updates.

What's the story heading to?

So you see, the whole tournament thingy evolved from a side note to a full time project.

I'll probably brake up the story into parts like I've done until now and well see where this leads us.

I really wanted to drop Sebas marriage somewhere but I don't really know where and when yet.

It's funny how people still find this story despite being so old in regards of updates.

Happy about comments, I'll probably won't answer them but if you write what you think is gonna happen I'll consider it making true.

Cya for the next one guys.


	8. Overlord: After the war VII

**Chapter VII:**

 **Tournament II**

[12 years before the battle of Katze Plains]

It tripped and fell. Not on it's face obviously since someone held it's hand tight. Too tight. It hurt.

"Get moving, boy" said a voice. It was this persons voice? It sounded eager. It figured to better stand up.

"very good." said the voice. Mock? It tried to look up but the light comming from the ceiling didn't let him. Didn't allow him.

As if staring into the soaring sun. Hot and unforgiving... What was a sun anyway? ... a star ? ... And whats a star!? One thought followed the next, every step it took, every time a new thought appeared.

sunstarsuniverseearthlifehumandestructiondeceptionpain. !It hurt. It's head hurt. The light pierced it's clouded mind and pain arose. Bright. too bright. It hurt.

It tripped once more. But kept moving after regaining it's posture. It didnt want to disappoint again...

But whom? And why? It didnt know. It just followed. Tripped again, but didn't slow down.

"You are special."

Step after step it followed the someone pulling it's hand.

he looked down, still a bit numbed to the light blinding him.

It's gaze left the ground and once more looked up.

"What am I?" The boys first words felt ...

"Weak. That's what you are. But no worries, I'll make you stronger.", the person had turned around and smiled. A woman.

"Because if not she'll likely crush you."

They've reached the end of the corridor. Behind said door an arena like place awaited him, and waiting there yet another person.

The eyes relativly quickly adjusted themselves to the dimmed light and he made out distinct features of a girl.

A slim figure. A gracious posture. Porcelaine skin. Black, white hair. And ears that ... "hrmpf."

The girl turned around, spinning a omnisous black sythe around. Blood which previously has been on. The Skythe, has now been sprayed all over the place. The woman holding his hand was shaking at the girls next words.

"Do not stare at my ears again."

\- - -

[1year and 4months after the battle of Katze Plains]

Actually the light ray on his face woke him up,

and n o t bedroom visit.

"Have you slept well, captn?"

Raising his body he tried not to wake the woman sleeping soundly beside him.

"I hope she was to your liking."

"You know that doesn't matter." It hasn't mattered before anyway.

And covers her with the blanket. Even though she was vast asleep, she smiled.

"Oh dear ... Captn, please try to cover yourself at least infront of your innocent handmaiden."

Said handmaiden, name is Rhine, was here to babysit him as she was instructed by the clearwater scripture.

But he personally believed she liked to control whatever he did.

"Why are you here?"

"I didnt mean to intrude upon your ..." she smiled mishiviously, "Wedding ceremony."

He turned away from his babysitter and began picking up the clothes from the ground.

"I hope the aphrodosiac did well?" another smile.

"Why are you here?"

"heh, always straightforward with me? You can relax around your big sis too, you know?

After all, I am watching over you since you were THIS small!"

Why? Because he was cautious, that's why.

"The reason Rhine?"

"Fine, fine ... The council wishes to see you on the next council meeting."

"Why? Haven't I been ordered to 'date' potential brides?"

The Slaine theocracy would never interrupt a godkin's "mating" without reason.

Their gazes met and silence filled the room.

The woman on the bed suddenly snored.

"It's a mission. The sorcerous kingdom announced a Tournament. Details follow." with that she left the room.

-

He looked around one last time, looking at his "partner". Again he realized, that there was nothing moving in his heart leaving that women behind. Just as he did with 34 woman before her.

And even though that particular one was of outstanding quality, he didn't bother any more than he probably should've. He had planted his seed. Mission accomplished. Move on, was the thought.

And so he did.

On his way out, some morning light scrached his face.

It was soothing and warm.

He had fulfilled his duty.

That ... pu a smile on his face.

\- - -

[1year and 4 months after the battle of Katze plains]

"I knew you'd come with us Elias."

"Since when are we calling ourselves by the first name, majesty?

I wasn't aware that we were close aquantainces."

"I intend to travel to the country of my enemy. The king who eventually is at fault for the missing of my son.

I don't intend to take more enemies with me than I already have."

" ... I won't come with you, Aethelred, my king... I absolutly cannot."

The two of them starred each other down.

The Marquis, Elias Brandt Dale Raeven, received an invition, no ... much rather a threat masked in kind words.

Return or I'll have to come for you was basically what was to be read inbetween the lines.

After that ... that unspeakable chaos Raeven hasn't even left the house except to watch over his son in the gardens.

Having declared he wouldn't return to the noble affairs, which were everything else than noble in and off itself,

he had hoped things would be solved. It was bound to fail, that claim of his, but he had tried anyway.

But that failure of a Kingdom needed him. And he hated it for that.

The king was restless, going up and down the room. Raeven has the allowence to sit while he did so.

Marquis would say that he was devoted to the Re-Estize Kingdom, but that unreasonable request from the king was just too much to ask for.

"You know I can't.

I mourn for the loss of your son by watching over mine, I want to see him grow up and I dont intend to do so from a grave behind enemy lines."

Splash

"My son ..." the king wandered off somewhere just to return abruptly.

"Elias, hows your memory of the war on Katze plains?"

Splash Splash Splash

"May I know what you exactly you would want to know my majesty?"

"The cries for help? Just to begin with ..."

SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH

"... the image of soldiers ... no pitiful human men reduced to minced meat in seconds."

SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH SPLASH

The marquis put a hand onto his throat as if to choke himself but in reality to hold in what protested to be digested.

The memory of the adventurers which died trying to give him time.

"I think ... I have forgotten." The marquis trembled.

... nothing

King and noble looked at each other.

"No I believe you can't sleep.

I believe you don't even leave your mansion without hesistation.

...

I believe you can't even look your son in the eyes properly,

Thinking how many other fathers must have lost their young sons and how the luck you had makes you guilty of not sharing their grave!"

"Can we go back to politics, can we now?!"

Rampossa had a reddened face and Raeven had stopped the outburst of the king with his own.

"Isn't all of that your fault! Weren't you supposed to be king?! Wasn't it our fault for even squareling with the empire each like entitled stupid children?! By god if only! ... if I only had taken the country as my own years ago! "

" ... I see ... so that's what it was ... maybe ... maybe this would have been for the better. Maybe you could have saved our country ... save my son ... I am so so terribly sorry."

Just as the king said this, he bowed down Raeven.

The man, the strong, unwavering king, Raeven remembered from his youth was now old and frail.

The strength left his legs and so he sunk into a chair as well.

"Aethelred? What have we done? ... the only one who really knew the situation was Gazef and now... he is dead and we, the foolish ones, can only shift the blame to one another... "

"Elias, you've seen the same terror as me then. You know that we cannot possibly win a war against such a monster as the sorcerers kingdom."

Raeven came here with the determination to to return to his mansion, his wife and son no matter the costs. But he slowly realized this would be only a temporarily gained peace.

"And our country is dying. It's getting eating from within because of corruption and disorder. The people hate eachother and moreover hate the crown because the rescued people from the demons warehouses and of the unreasonable attempt to fight a god of death."

The king needed a few breaths to continue.

"Follow, no, please help me Elias!"

Raeven couldn't avert his eyes from the king, who with all sincerity pleaded for help.

"I need to believe in me one last time, I have a plan. That's why I you with me on this journey. Without you I fail at my very last attempt in serving and saving my country!"

Please don't do this, Raeven thought. Please don't make reconsider.

"I am sorry Raeven, I can't promise this journey won't be without danger and I know you want to stay with your family but if you won't help me this country will fall deeper than anyone can imagine. Everything will break apart, just as your own little domain. Help ao we can both save everything that's left."

"The last pitiful rest left by Gazef is it?"

The kings eyes glimmered, his last component has arrived.

"Let's Save what's left."

———

[1year and 4months after the battle of Katze plains]

Without a sound the door swung wide open and Unglaus entered Gazef Stronoffs mausoleum.

There, right in the middle of that quiet place was his friend, resting in a coffin set out of grey stone.

Your grave is just as unbending and stoic as you've been, Brain mused. Suddenly the visitor felt exhausted and sat down on a step besides the coffin. Brain hasn't been at this place since they've laid Gazef down for his final rest, for his eternal slumber.

"Gazef ..." ... Brain smiled to himself. It was indeed a bit strange to talk to the dead, but Brain felt obligate to tell Gazef how things were.

"We're fine. I mean, the kingdom is on a never before known low, the nobility doesn't respect the king unless he points his bloody sword at them and the people hate the royal bloodline of your dear friend and King.

But ..." Brain put new enthusiasm in his voice: "Rampossa is a good thinker and he's not blind. He already noticed that this country will soon go down, and now has a plan to win everything back we've lost last time."

Brain imagined the mighty figure o his friend sitting besides him, asking for Brains pupil.

"Climb? Climb also made it just fine. He got quite the reputation now you see... since the bloodline of the Vaiself isn't the most liked one right now and Climb takes his job as princess knight very seriously he alsocame up with a plan. He trains ever single moment when he's not with the princess. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that now he is the strongest soldier in the kingdom, but I think that's something that you could've foreseen yourself. But what's probably outside your prediction is his growth! Man! He's is training and training without end or rest. In the facilities or in the open...

and if it's in the open, it also works just fine as intimidation to anyone who dares to even hold ill will towards his princess."

Brain tilted his head a bit as if to hid and embarrassed smile.

"That boy is really something..." Brain notices himself gettin all pumped up talking about Climb. Every time thinking about him made Brain feel a deep satisfaction and proudness from deep within.

After reaching the end of this sentimental rambling, Brain stood up and walked over to a pedestal on the back of the room.

There, heavily guarded in this mausoleum of the kingdom's strongest warrior, were the country's treasures.

The Razor Edge. The Guardian Armor. The Gauntlets of Endurance. The Amulet of immortality.

Gauntlets granting him never ending stamina.

An amulet healing him.

And an armor which could prevent any lethal attack once.

But most importantly:

The sword. Able to ignore amor and according to Ainz Ooal Gowns words on Katze Plains, able to hurt something godlike as him.

As if asked, why he was doing over there, Brain turned around to Gazef making a apologetic gesture and smiled.

"You see there will be this tournament, hosted by the sorcerer king himself...

So I'll just borrow some of your stuff? You would mind wouldn't you right?"

Brain waited for a sign. A light breeze, a short flickering of the light, SOMETHING!

Gazefs confirmation. A proof of whatever Ranpossa planned to be a good idea. That's all Brain a Unglaus wanted.

But all he got was the same monotone stoic grave I the middle of the room.

"You know, I'll just take that as a silent nod."

\- - - - - - -

Authors Note:

Hey guys, hope you're ready for summer?

Yeet .. look at he time ... It's been again some months since we last saw each other hehe *nervous laugh

I hope you all are doing well and that chapter gives some of you a good impression of what summer will be like (short, and you wait like a year for the next)

But to get down to it: this chapter is really short in regards to 5 and 6 which were around 4K but the reason is that now all characters are set and I can focus on the tournament from now on. I wanted a clean cut so to say.

Another reason may be that I fked my knee up and won't be enjoying summer as planned (was hired to be a junior windsurfing instructor in Poland) so I really jus wanted to finish that chapter and be done with it. Sorry if it felt rushed.

As always I hope my decision for the characters felt natural, realistic, transparent. But as I unfortunately realized, it makes things pretty much predictable:3

I know I know, I myself asked for predictions and thoughts on how things will proceed from then on but I didn't think you guys (2 people actually) would predict the exact things I was planning ...

just to mention them, @holysythe and RyuujiVantek.

Please don't spoil things for the others from now on ;D

I kind of again went astray from the topic ...

Back to the realisitc part: the biggest challenge to date really was the black scripture captain. I just wasn't really sure how to write him since not much is known and I really didn't want to screw up such a cool looking character. Did you like that version of his?

Last thanks go to 3 girls that frequently invited me to a sort of book club event where some painted, or wrote, or cooked which was fun and also inspiring in some places for the story.

Unfortunately it wasn't proofread! I tried my best so I could at least get this chapter out finally so please if you want to see mistakes, mention them so I can patch the shit out of it as EA does with Star Wars the old Republic.

Well that's all folks!

See ya in the next, enjoy summer and respect your body!

PS: i really recommend your try reading the web novel of Overlord. It's such a fkn huge different direction Maruyama has taken there. It feels like a refreshing FanFiction, even tho it's the original, but written just as epic as the official novels.


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